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JAMES E. SMITH. 



A 

FAMOUS BATTERY 

I 

AND 

ITS CAMPAIGNS, 186 1-64 



THE CAREER OF 

corporal' JAMES TANNER 

I 
IN WAR AND IN PEACE 



EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS 

/ / 

WITH SOME ACCOUINT OF 

Capt. Jack Crawford 

I 

The Poet Scout 



CAPTAIN JAMES E. SMITH 
4th N. Y. Independent Battery 



WASHINGTON 

W. H. LOWDERMILK & CO. 

1892 



fiJk 



III: 



)y4tt 



Copyright, 1892, by James E. Smith 




PREFACE 



In presenting these memoirs to the public my aim is 
simply a plain, unvarnished tale to tell of the gallant 
deeds of a Battery which, to use the words of the official 
report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New 
York (Vol. I, page 169, 1868), " served during the war 
with as bright a record as any in the whole Army," 
and, incidentalh', to correct some erroneous statements 
and reports in the light of the fuller information now 
attainable regarding the tremendous events of the 
memorable epoch in our Nation's history to which 
they relate. 

This sketch of its marches from the uplands of Bull 
Run to the swamps of the Chickahominy, from the 
malarious Peninsula to the breez}^ Pennsylvania hills, 
is measurably a contemporaneous history of the battles 
of the Armj^ of the Potomac, for there were but few of 
them that this Battery did not participate in. I have 
endeavored to state facts, and trust that the verdict of 
my readers may be: "He nothing extenuated, nor 
aught set down in malice." 

J. E. S. 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



CONTENTS 



F»A.KX I. 

THK THRKE MONTHS' SERVICH IX \ AKIAN'S BATTKRY. 

Chapter I i 

Soutlnoard IIo !--Au iDirccorded engage^yieiit. 
Chapti<:r II 5 

In Ccunp af . luuapolis.—.l tilt icitli Gounil 

Butler. 
Chapter III 12 

On Pickti in Mroinia. — Cub Run. — Home 

Again. 

Chapter I\' 24 

Some Personal hfeidents. 



F»AR r II. 

the fourth new YORK BATTERY— ITS FORMATION, 
ITS SERVICES, AND ITS DISSOLUTION. 

Chapter I 23 

Organization. — On to WasJiington. 

Chapter II ^^ 

Winter Quarters in Lozver Maryland. — hi- 
eidents. 

V 



VI CONTENTS. 

Chapter III 51 

Yorktonm. 

Chapter IV . . . 57 

Willia msbii rg . 

Chapter V , 66 

Official Repof^ts. — Some misstatements cor- 
rected. 

Chapter VI 82 

Fredericksburg. 

Chapter VII 93 

After Fredericksburg. — A Siunmer Marcli 
through Maryland. 

Chapter VIII loi 

Gettysburg. 

Chapter IX 113 

Official Reports. — Un ion . 

Chapter X 123 

Official Rep07'ts.— Co7ifederate . 

Chapter XI 133 

Letters from participants in the battle refer- 
ring to the part take^i by the Battery. 

Chapter XII 147 

Remarks and Criticisms. 

Chapter XIII 156 

Poetic Tributes to the Battery. — i. A Famous 
Battery and its Day of Glory, by Capt. Jack 
Crawford, the Poet Scout.— il DeviVs Den, 
by Comrade Samuel Adams Wiggin. 

Chapter XIV 164 

Back to Washington. — Disbanded. 



CONTENTS. Vii 

Appendix lyr 

The Career of Corporal Tanner . . . • 179 

Early Days in the Black Hills 217 

The Grand Army of the Republic 235 



IPart I 



THE THREE MONTHS SERVICE IN 
VARIAN'S BATTERY 



^-=^^ 



CHAPTER I 
Sotitlnvard, IIo ! — An Unrecorded Engagement 

ONG before the first rays of the sun 
had glinted on the topmasts 
of the shipping in New York 
Harbor, in the early dawn of 
April 19, i86i,theold "Wash- 
ington Gray Troop," or Com- 
pany "I" of the 8th New 
York State Militia, reorgan- 
ized the day before as Varian's 
Battery of Light Artillery, 
started for ' ' the front " — magic 
words in the feverish days of the early sixties, that 
made the blood dance in the veins, and filled the 
vSouls of the average 3'oung man of that period with a 
wild longing for the stirring life of the camp and the 
battlefield. 




2 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

We were on board the steamship Montgomery under 
sealed orders, and our destination was — well, some- 
where in the tumultuous South, just where we didn't 
know and hardly cared, but with the confidence of 
3^outh and inexperience we considered ourselves a 
match for an5^thing we might encounter. 

A word of introduction as to who and what we were 
that sailed away from New York that bright spring 
morning to put down the Rebellion may be pardoned. 

Varian's Battery consisted of six smooth-bore six- 
pounder brass pieces, with carriages, obtained from the 
7th Regiment, and thirty-six horses, all that could be 
collected in the brief period allowed for that purpose. 
We were provided with 200 rounds of ammunition per 
gun. 

The personnel of the Battery was, perhaps, unex- 
celled by any organization that ever went into the serv- 
ice. The Captain, Joshua M. Varian, was a very pop- 
ular officer in militia circles, and held in high esteem 
by all who knew him. When it became known that he 
needed a few recruits to bring his company up to a bat- 
tery standard, some of the best men in the city besieged 
the armory in their efforts to be enrolled, and it required 
but an hour or so to obtain all the men that could be 
carried, while he was obliged to refuse hundreds. 

The nucleus of this Battery, ' ' The Gray Troop, ' ' was 
composed of some of the most prominent business men 
in the city of New York, in fact none were admitted to 
its ranks except those of good standing in mercantile 
or professional life, and care was taken that their new 
associates in the Battery should be young men of credit- 
able antecedents. In the enthusiastic crowd that stood 



SOUTHWARD HO ! 3 

on the deck of the Mo7itgomery in the gray light of 
that April morning were (the subsequently Hon.) Ed- 
ward Kearney, chief of piece, who distinguished him- 
self not long afterwards b}^ retaking the light-ship at 
Smith's Point, on the Potomac; Gunner James Lynch, 
afterwards Sheriff of New York City ; Private James S. 
Fraser, since then Department Commander of the New 
York G. A. R., and numerous other privates who were 
to wear officer's bars and eagles before the war was 
over. 

When the steamer cast off her moorings and swung 
out into the channel. Captain Varian, standing on the 
upper deck, proposed three cheers for the flag floating 
over us, three for our beloved New York, and three more 
for the dear ones we were leaving behind. When the 
last was given it is no blot on their manhood to state 
that not a few turned aside to conceal the tears that 
welled into their eyes. But the voyage had begun, a 
new and probabl}^ stormy phase of life was unfolding, 
and the path to a glorious career seemed shimmering 
before us on the dancing waves glistening in the first 
rays of the rising sun. 

After passing Sandy Hook it was ascertained that the 
ship was bound for Annapolis, Md. All went smoothly 
until the 21st, when an incident occurred which has not 
yet found a place in history. It had been rumored that 
more than one cruiser carrying the Confederate flag had 
caused considerable damage to Federal vessels, and many 
hasty glances were cast towards the two guns in the 
bow while the boj'S discussed the probabilities of fall- 
ing in with one of these unwelcome customers. So it 
is not to be wondered at that a cry from the lookout at 



4 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

the mast-head of ' ' Sail Ho ! " caused every man to rush 
forward, eagerly scanning the surface of the ocean in 
the direction indicated, and long before they obtained a 
sight of the vessel signaled, it is safe to say she was 
secretly considered by every one as something siis- 
picious. Finally, when she hove in sight, this belief 
was confirmed, for it would have been difficult to find 
a more rakish looking craft. Instinctively each man 
moved nearer to the guns. Captain Varian stood near 
the wheel-house, while the captain of the ship, with 
glass and trumpet, stood by to execute any orders 
given. Somehow, by the time the vessels were wdthin 
hailing distance, the men had crept up to the guns and 
stood ready to open fire. All ej-es were closely watch- 
ing the approaching piratical looking craft, which w^as 
about to pass us on the starboard side. What a mean, 
skulking thing she appeared to be ! Now the moment 
to challenge was at hand, and the captain of the Mont- 
gomery hailed the mysterious stranger, demanding her 
destination, whence she came, etc. Of this modest re- 
quest not the slightest notice was taken; then the notion 
got into the boys' heads that she was trying to slip 
away, after having discovered our guns and the resolute 
men read}^ to serve them, but Captain Varian w^as equal 
to the occasion and at once gave the order to load with 
a solid shot and fire across her bows. (This means 
' * heave to or take the consequences " ; it is, in fact, an 
insult, and if not heeded in time of war, the vessel fir- 
ing the shot should, in accordance with the custom of 
the sea, at once open fire wdth a view to cripple or sink 
her adversary.) Away sped the old six-pound ball, 
ricocheting in front of this insolent cruiser who had dis- 



AN UNRECORDED ENGAGEMENT. 5 

regarded the invitation to explain her presence, but be- 
fore the smoke had cleared away some one, after the 
style of gazers at a Fourth of July fire-works display, 
exclaimed, '' Ah ! Ah ! " This caused others to look, 
and there, within five hundred yards was discovered a 
sight that chilled our blood. The port-holes of this 
strange craft were open and from each protruded the 
muzzle of a long, nasty-looking gun, manned by "Uncle 
Sam's" Marines, ready to give us a broadside which 
would, in all probability, have sent us to the bottom. 
Then in thunder tones came the command: "Send an 

officer on board, d d quick. ' ' This, it is needless to 

say, was done without unnecessary delay. Explana- 
tions followed, and it was gratifying to know that 
'* Varian's Battery " had taken a prominent part in the 
first naval engagement after the fall of Sumter, and had 
brought-to the Grape-shot, U. S. M. Service, whose 
commander condescended to say that he judged it was 
a lot of militia or he would have sunk the outfit. As 
he sheered off he kindly volunteered this piece of in- 
formation: "The next time you wish to hail a vessel, 
fire a blank, or you may not get off so easily." 



A FAMOUS BATTKRV. 



CHAPTER 



hi Camp at A7inapolis — A Tilt with General Butler 




FTER quite a tedious sail around 
Cape Henry and up the 

.. Chesapeake Bay, we arrived 

at Annapolis, Md., about 
noon of the 2 2d of April, 
where Captain Varian re- 
ported to General Butler, 
then in command of the 
post. He directed that the 
Battery be disembarked and 
parked inside the marine grounds. This was accom- 
plished after a good deal of hard work. We lacked, 
however, a complement of horses and harness. Provi- 
dence furnished the horses in a curious way, which I 
will now relate, but it took the United States Govern- 
ment some time to provide the harness. 

During a severe storm one night over one hundred 
horses were lowered from a steamer outside and swim- 
ming ashore were attracted by the whinnying of our 
thirty-six animals fastened to the picket rope, and at 
once joined them. The grounds being enclosed by a 
wall on three sides rendered it easy to capture and tie 
up the entire lot. They were turned over to the Gov- 



IN CAMP AT ANNAPOLIS. 7 

ernment at Centreville later on. General Butler, with 
that restless energy characteristic of him, ordered two 
detachments of sixteen of our men each, to be instructed 
in handling two thirty-two pounders stationed in Fort 
Severn and used formerly by the marines for practicing. 
The commander of the brig Perry, at anchor near 
by, kindly consented to give instructions, and loaned 
our officers a book on naval tactics. The preliminary 
drill requires each man from No. i, to i6, inclusive, to 
"speak a piece," /. <?., when the gun's crew has taken 
its position, at the command of the officer in charge to 
"cast loose and procure," then No. i explains his 
duties, followed by No. 2, and so on to the end. 

I was assigned to the command of these detachments 
and reported to our naval instructor in the Fort, who, 
after explaining some minor details, produced the book 
and remarking that it would take some time to post the 
men, promised to call around the next day. 

I hit upon a plan that enabled us to make a good 
showing in the morning, viz. : I copied on separate slips 
of paper each man's "piece," so that all could study 
at the same time, and during rehearsal that afternoon 
succeeded in making our drill a perfect success. We 
were at it again early the next day, to make assurance 
doubly sure, and when the naval gentlemen put in an 
appearance we were carelessly lounging around the drill 
room. I think it was one of the proudest moments of 
my life when I called the men to quarters and sang out 
' ' Cast loose and procure. ' ' The boj^s were prompt and 
rattled off their pieces without one mistake. The guns 
were loaded (in our minds) and run out ready for dis- 
charging ; meanwhile our instructor looked on in as- 



8 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

tonishment, declaring it required one year's time and 
several marlin spikes to accomplish on board ship what 
we had mastered in twenty-four hours. 

We felt very proud of this work, especially when there 
appeared to be some grounds for the rumor that the 
enemy intended to make us a visit by water. 

Shortly after this I had the ill-luck to come into per- 
sonal collision with General Butler, through no fault of 
mine, in a way that is amusing enough to recall now, 
but which did not strike me that way at the time of its 
occurrence. I had a spirited gray horse which I was 
accustomed to ride outside the walls, in company with 
the other Battery officers, every evening when not on 
duty. The horse was a famous jumper and as I felt 
quite proud of his abilities in that line I was always 
on the lookout for a fence to put him at and show ofiF 
his steeple-chasing qualities. As we frequently met the 
General and his staff out riding, I suppose he noticed 
the gray's superb action, and so I heard from him. 

One evening the Captain sent for me, and upon re- 
porting, he informed me that General Butler wanted 
my horse. I laughed at this, supposing it was a joke, 
but when the orderly who had brought the message 
turned to me and stolidly repeated it, I ceased laugh- 
ing. The situation was becoming serious. At that 
time we still retained a large amount of * * militia-ism ' ' 
and were not much disturbed by the commanding tones 
of ranking officers who, we suspected, had little if any 
advantage over us in the knowledge of military matters. 
Still, I concluded it might be as well for me to make a 
call on the General. I had about made up my mind to 
do so, when the same orderly, who had delivered the 



A TILT WITH GENERAL BUTLER. 9 

message and returned to headquarters, appeared again 
and with a salute informed me that the General wished 
to see me at once. 

I lost no time in obeying the order. I found the 
commanding officer pacing his room in slippers and 
dressing gown and evidently in very bad humor. I 
saluted and waited his pleasure. He looked at me 
with an angry frown for a few moments and then burst 
out with : 

"Are you lyieutenant Smith ? " 

"At your service, General," I replied, with as calm 
a demeanor as I could assume. 

" Why did you not deliver that horse to my orderly, 
sir, as directed? " was the next question, in imperious 
tones. 

"Well, General," I answered, with a rather feeble 
attempt at a smile, "the horse is not for sale; still, if 
you are particularly desirous of having him, about four 
hundred dollars might, perhaps, induce me to part with 
him — to you." 

Now this was, probably, a rather free way for a sub- 
ordinate to reply to his commanding officer, but I was 
nettled by his dictatorial manner, and I really can not 
see what else I could have said under the circumstances. 

The General stared at me with such a malevolent 
look out of his good eye that I began to feel quite un- 
comfortable until, with something very like a grunt, 
he turned away, and I lost no time in getting out, sup- 
posing that was the end of the matter. But I changed 
my ideas on that point before the sun had set. 

The General kept an old tub of a steamer wnthin call 
for special duty purposes. It was deemed advisable at 



to A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

this time to place a section of guns on board, with two 
detachments under command of a commissioned officer, 
for police duty on the bay; it was further ordered that 
neither the officer nor men should land without permis- 
sion from the General commanding. Usually an order 
of this kind would have directed the Captain of the 
Battery to detail an officer, etc., but judge of my sur- 
prise to learn that the General had directed that ' ' Lieu- 
tenant Smith and one section of the Battery ' ' be detailed 
for this duty. Practically I had no command, being 
the lowest ranking officer in the company, and to com- 
ply with the order some one would be deprived of his 
section. However, on board I bundled, not without 
making a gentle " kick," believing I was the victim of 
persecution. There was no way out of it but to take 
my medicine. For two weeks we cruised up and down 
the bay, during which period the General came on 
board with his staff for a trip to Fort McHenry. The 
day was very warm, as I had good reason to remember. 
Our guns were stationed in the bow without the slight- 
est shelter and, as bad luck would have it, the General 
took a seat in the wheel-house to make observations. 
How he managed to twist his ej-es in the direction of 
the guns is more than I can tell ; nevertheless, he did ; 
then he took a great interest in the practice of artillery, 
for the time being, and made a pressing request that 
for his edification the men be drilled. For over one 
hour we stood under a broiling sun, which did not in- 
crease our love for the old man at that time. 

Our release from police duty on the bay finally came, 
when the General took his departure for Fortress Mon- 
roe, to which point we escorted him. 




EDWARD KEARNEY. 



A TILT WITH GENERAL BUTLER. II 

We were ordered to anchor in the "Roads" after our 
arrival, and not to visit the shore, I think we were de- 
tained four daj^s. At last one night at midnight an 
orderly delivered to me an order to report back to An- 
napolis. The news was passed and the boys landed the 
anchor on record time. I stood by the helm determined 
not to notice anything in the shape of signals, fearing 
our order would be countermanded. I have always 
thought there was a little desire to punish me in all 
this, but it may have been accidental. 

While this was going on, another section of the Bat- 
tery performed very valuable service in securing a light- 
ship which had been run up a creek to deceive vessels 
in the night. Of this incident I can say but little, but 
I remember that Ed. Kearney, then chief of piece, was 
the hero of this encounter. He boldly stood by his 
gun and was the only Federal in sight for a brief period. 
His example and cool judgment, with a little vigorous 
persuasion added, succeeded in estal^lishing order and 
turning defeat into victory. A reference to the records 
as published in the Adjutant-General's Report, State 
(f New York, Vol. I, iS68, a copy of which is herewith 
appended, will furnish a full account of this affair. 
I See Report, page 169.) 



12 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



CHAPTER III 



071 Picket in Virginia — Cub Rnn — Home Again 




'HE Batter}^ finally reached 
Arlington, Va., late in May, 
1 86 1, and every night at 
least one section was posted 
for picket duty on one of the 
roads leading from the inte- 
rior of Virginia. 

The night of the great 
^■_^.I^^^^- false alarm that brought the 

' ~ _ army over the Long Bridge 

from Washington to the Virginia side, I was in charge 
of two guns on the Vienna Pike. Captain Brackett 
of the Second Dragoons, U. S. Cav. , detailed a sergeant 
and six men to report to me for vidette and other duty. 
About one o'clock a. m. I heard the clatter of a 
horse's feet coming down the road at a slashing pace, 
and as he came near the infantr}^ picket a challenge, 
quickly followed by the report of his piece, ringing 
clear and loud on the midnight air; still on came the 
horse. Bang ! went another gun, and by this time the 
frightened beast was panting and blowing among the 
horses of my section. 

It was my duty to investigate and report at once to 



ON PICKET IX VIRGINIA. I3 

General McDowell at the Arlington House. I found 
that the advanced vidette had dismounted, and relying 
upon the friendship existing between himself and horse, 
allow'cd him to crop the grass. The ungrateful beast 
evidentl}'- intended to play his rider a trick, and watch- 
ing his opportunity jumped and started for camp. 
While running the gauntlet one bullet cut him across 
the crupper, but ere the reports of the guns had died 
away, it seemed as if ever}' drum on the Virginia side 
of the Potomac was tr^'ing to wake the dead. The 
long roll was sounded in every camp and w-as taken up 
on the Washington side and kept up till the forces in 
the city crossed over into Virginia, where they formed 
in line of battle and remained until daylight. 

I suppose it took longer to promulgate orders in the 
earlier days of the war, which may account for the 
seeming delay in giving notice of the cause, but this 
was the last of the false alarms in this vicinity. Next 
day General McDowell issued orders that thereafter no 
notice would be taken of the discharge of small arms, 
that the approach of the enemy would be designated 
by the discharge of field pieces, and officers in charge 
of such guns were instructed not to fire until they had 
observed the enemy, with an additional caution that 
they would be held personally responsible, etc. 

Some time in June, while eating our mid-day meal in 
our pleasant quarters at the foot of the eastern slope of 
Arlington Hill, an order came from General McDowell 
to send a section to report to General Tyler, then sta- 
tioned at Falls Church, Va. We had no idea of the 
distance or location, but the order stated that a guide 
would be furnished to pilot the way, and that haste was 



14 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

necessary, as this point was threatened b}' the ' ' Black- 
horse Cavalr}^" 

General Tyler was without artillery, hence much de- 
pended on prompt action. The Captain left his seat at 
the table with the order in his hand and coming to my 
chair, stopped and asked, " Who shall I send with this 
section ? " having read aloud the order. There was 
no response; indeed, there could be none until the se- 
lection of the section had been announced, then as 
each section had a commander there would be no ques- 
tion as to who would or ought to go. I was still minus 
a section and yet felt that I was doomed. It may have 
been instinct; be that as it may, I w^as not much sur- 
prised when the Captain laid his hand on my shoulder 
and exclaimed, " You go ! " 

My first thought was that danger was apprehended 
and I was made the scapegoat. Mj- indignation almost 
mastered me, but I left the table saying, " Which sec- 
tion shall I take, sir?" Receiving ni}' answer, I at 
once assumed command and made speedy preparation 
for our departure. Manj- men belonging to other sec- 
tions honored me by their earnest requests to join the 
party. Some of them who appealed to the Captain 
were allowed to do so. My anger was so great I de- 
termined to get away without bidding the Captain 
" Good-bye." Therefore I hastened up the hill after 
the carriages at a full gallop, but on reaching the sum- 
mit I found this grand little man shaking hands with 
the boys. I checked mj^ horse before him, he grasped 
me by the hand, one look into his eyes and the story 
was told without one word from either. 

It was now about 3 o'clock p. m., and instead of a 



ON PICKET IX VIRGINIA. I5 

guide, a diagram of the route was placed in my hands 
with a statement that the distance was about fifteen 
miles. The pace was made accordingly, and if my 
memory ser^^es me, the first halt made to inquire the 
way was at "Taylor's Inn." General Tyler's head- 
quarters, less than five miles from Arlington. 

In this manner I had the honor of leading the first 
artillery from the defences of Washington into l^irginia 
in 1861, before the grand advance, as well as firino- 
the first shot, which opened the campaign. (See Report'' 
S. N. Y.) ' 

In a few days the balance of the Battery joined us 
and again I was a free lance. 

The services rendered by the Battery while stationed 
at Falls Church can not be estimated too highly Con- 
stant picket duty on the various roads greatly assisted 
General Tyler in keeping a clear front. 

When the advance began July 14, 1861, Tyler's bri- 
gade was assigned to General K. D. Reyes's Division 
The Battery had the right of the line for four days 
when the head of the Division reached a point near 
the Fairfax road. Marching parallel to this the enemy 
were plainly seen moving in the direction of Centre- 
ville; their flank being exposed, the Battery took ad- 
vantage of the situation and opened fire. (See Ad- 
jutant-General's Report.) The army was detained by 
the felled trees thrown across the road, and the Engineer 
Corps was kept busy in clearing a passage. 

A representative of the New York Eveymig Express 
and myself passed to the front on the Germantown road 
riding rapidly until we reached an abatis of felled tim- 
ber, which my horse managed to pass. Observing a 



1 6 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

fire and kettle on a tripod, I soon had a nice boiled 
chicken which the Confederate outpost had hastily- 
abandoned. I also found a felt blanket which served 
as a cloak or circular by using a cord to contract one 
end. This I presented to the newspaper man. We 
then discovered that the enemy. had fired some build- 
ings in Germantown. Ayers' U. S. Battery by this 
time reached the obstructions and to pass the time 
while waiting for the trees to be removed, threw a few 
shot in the direction of the enemy. 

Afterwards I rode forward to the town, dismounted in 
front of and entered a large frame house, then burning. 
The first room visited on the ground floor contained a 
bed and a few small pictures on the walls ; a hasty 
glance under the bed disclosed a demijohn, which I 
captured and secured, and with this my curiosity was 
satisfied. I sat down, carefully guarding my prisoner, 
when a cloud of dust down the road denoted the ap- 
proach of a bod}^ of cavalry. Up dashed the gallant 
Tompkins of Fairfax Court-House fame. I knew him 
well, and followed his troop until a halt was made ; 
then, boldly riding into camp with my prize it goes with- 
out saying, my presence was welcomed. 

The history of the demijohn was soon told. The 
burning building had been used as an hospital by the 
Confederates and my jug contained about one gallon of 
good medicine, but was it poisoned ? The problem was 
soon solved by Charlie Tompkins who, after smelling, 
sampled it. Dr. Wilson was horrified, and shouted 
* ' Hold on, lyieutenant, it may be poisoned ; let me ana- 
lyze it." " I do n't care, it's d d good poison any- 
how," was the reply. The Doctor, turning to me, re- 



' CUB RUN. 17 

marked, "If Charlie lives ten minutes, we'll try some." 
Charlie lived. 

On the 1 8th of July our Brigade, which included, 
among others, the 69th New York, being* on the march 
toward Centreville, had halted in a strip of woods about 
three-quarters of a mile from Cub Run. General Tyler 
had gone forward to feel his way to the Run. It was 
a warm, clear day and we were lounging about in the 
welcome shade, when we were startled by a sharp roll of 
musketry from the front. We knew at once that Tyler 
had developed the enemy and were instantly on the 
alert. Drivers sprang to their horses, cannoneers leaped 
to their places, and when an aid came galloping back 
with a message to General Keyes, we of the Battery 
felt sure that it meant us. But it did n't. The only 
troops called for were the 69th. When they received the 
order to go in they burst into frantic cheering and in a 
few moments went past us on the double-quick still 
shouting, and intensely eager to get to the front. The 
wild excitement was contagious, and mounting my 
horse I followed the column. When they reached a 
cornfield about half a mile oflf, the regiment deployed 
and soon was hotly engaged. I found General Tyler 
and his staff behind a belt of timber running east and 
west at the edge of the field. From here w^e could see 
the position of the enemy along Cub Run and protected 
by the thick woods shading both sides of the stream, 
about 1,000 yards to the south. Their lines w^ere com- 
pletely hidden by the trees, affording them excellent 
cover, while the growing com made a very indifferent 
screen for our men. But they fought gallantly until 
the enemy opened on them from several masked bat- 



1 8 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

teries, when they were ordered to retire. As they fell 
back the Confederate artillery kept up the cannonade, 
and as they were passing the spot where General Tjder 
was sitting on his horse the shells kept pace with them, 
but at an elevation that swept the trees overhead, from 
which a shower of broken limbs and branches tumbled 
down on him and his staff. When the 69th came by 
with gallant Colonel Corcoran and knightly Maj. 
Thomas Francis Meagher at its head, I rejoined them 
and returned to the Brigade. I never could understand 
why our Battery, idly standing within call, was not or- 
dered up to assist the infantry. 

In this affair I saw for the first time dead, dying and 
wounded soldiers, and I remember what a thrill came 
over me as I noticed a young fellow, his blue uniform 
stained with his blood, lying dead amid the rows of 
corn, staring at the sky with sightless eyes — mustered 
out forever at the very threshold of the mighty strug- 
gle. And then how curiously and even admiringly we 
stared at the first wounded man that hobbled along to 
the rear in search of medical treatment. I felt like 
taking off my hat to him. "There," I said to myself, 
"that fellow will be a hero when he gets home." But 
we got pretty well hardened to these things before the 
year was out. 

This was the "baptism of fire" for the 69th, and 
they bore themselves as bravel}^ as ever did their ances- 
tors at Fontenoy, and here they first earned the title 
that has clung to the regiment for thirty years, ' * The 
Gallant Sixty-ninth," a title which was sealed to them 
by their immortal valor at Bull Run three days after- 
wards. 



CUB RUN. 



19 



After this engagement we were marched to Centre- 
ville and there went into camp. Our term of enlist- 
ment had expired on the 17th and the question of our 
discharge was now being agitated, and it became the 
subject of much and heated discussion. From the drift 
and general tenor of the discussion it became evident 
to me that an application for our muster out would be 
sent in. I was not in harmony with this movement, 
not caring to leave the field at this time; and made an 
effort to find an opening where my services might be 
acceptable. Lieutenant Gordon, of the 2d Dragoons, 
aide to General Keyes, thought that he could arrange 
it so that a place on Keyes's staff would be made for me. 
This w^as entirely satisfactory, so, to avoid any ill-feel- 
ing, as the majority if not all the other officers of the 
Battery were in favor of the proposed action, I deter- 
mined to keep away from camp for the day. 

In company with Chief of Piece Edward Kearney, a 
most excellent and companionable young fellow, pos- 
sessing soldierly qualities of the highest order, I started 
to visit the battlefield of the i8th. We soon reached 
the woods where I had seen General Tyler and staff 
during the fight (having followed the gallant 69th, as 
related elsewhere). Dismounting, we made our way 
on foot through the corn field, intending to reach an 
old log bam which was situated well down and within 
about 200 yards of Cub Run, where the enemy's pickets 
were concealed, as we soon discovered. 

After leaving the corn field w^e saw a Confederate 
hospital flag flying from the roof of a building beyond 
the stream, but before we could reach the bam several 
puffs of white smoke down at the Run and the spite- 



20 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

fill buzzing of minie-balls in our immediate vicinity 
admonished us to hug mother earth for safety. Deem- 
ing it unadvisable under the circumstances to continue 
our reconnaissance, having developed the enemy a little 
too suddenly for our comfort, we retraced our steps, or 
rather, to state the exact facts, crawled back to the 
friendly shelter of the growing com, and so returned to 
camp without further adventure. 

I have frequently since, in recalling this little inci- 
dent, thought with wonder of the meagre precautions 
taken in those early days of the war to prevent a sur- 
prise. I know we did not see a single Union picket on 
our trip, although this was the left of our line. It is 
barely possible that they were in the log barn, but there 
was no support visible anywhere. 

Coming into the large tent, that evening, used by 
the Captain and his lieutenants, I was informed that a 
vote had been taken during my absence whether to re- 
main, or to apply for the discharge that was overdue us, 
and that I was expected to express my wishes. I asked 
if tny vote would change the result, and was answered 
in the negative. I then declined to vote. " And I, 
sir," said the Captain sharply, "order you to vote." 
" Very well, " was my answer, "then I wdsh it to be 
distinctly understood that I vote to remain." 

I don't know whether this decision of mine was ex- 
pected or not, but it certainly was rather ungraciously 
received, and the chilly atmosphere of the tent became 
decidedly unpleasant. So I had my servant prepare me a 
shelter some distance away, and remove my traps to it. 
My horse was saddled and picketed near by, and here I 
awaited with what patience I could muster to hear from 
General Keyes. 



CUB RUN. 21 

About lo o'clock p. m. on the 20th, Lieutenant Price, 
General McDowell's ordnance ofi&cer, came into camp 
and called for the Captain, to whom he delivered an 
order to turn over the Battery, etc., and take his com- 
mand to the rear. He then called for lyieutenant 
Smith. I stepped out and was informed that the 
Battery w^as placed in my charge ! 

This sudden and unlooked for change in the status 
of affairs took my breath away. The first thought that 
came to me w^as this : Captain Varian had been my 
best and truest friend ; I loved and respected him, and I 
felt that for me to accept this charge would look like a 
slight to this gallant soldier. Aside from this, lack of 
confidence in my ability to handle the Batter>', and a 
belief that General Keyes would give me a position on 
his staff induced me to hesitate. Captain Varian, see- 
ing my embarrassment, suggested that I request a half 
an hour to consider the matter. During the discussion 
a number of the men gathered around and intimated 
that they would stay if I took command. This was 
very flattering, but I finally concluded that I had bet- 
ter not accept, and so informed Lieutenant Price, and 
thus I lost the first and best opportunity for promotion 
that was thrown in my way. 

I subsequently learned that this intended honor had 
been arranged for me through the kind ofiices of Gen- 
eral Keyes, in compliment to my vote to remain. 

At I o'clock on the morning of the 21st the march 
to the rear began, and during the tedious tramp to 
Washington I made up my mind to organize a battery 
of my own. 

And just here it may not be out of place to say a 



22 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

word as to the action taken by the officers of the Bat- 
tery, especially as they have been rather severely cen- 
sured for it. While I did not advocate nor approve the 
course taken by the company, yet I neither then nor 
afterward questioned their right to demand their dis- 
charge. They had faithfully performed their part of 
the contract ; they had done their whole duty beyond 
the time for which they were enlisted, and that they 
should be criticised for simply demanding that the Gov- 
ernment should fulfil its obligations to them was rank 
injustice, and the condemnation of their action con- 
tained in General McDowell's official report was unwar- 
ranted and ungenerous. Most of the men again en- 
listed and served in various regiments and batteries. A 
rather amusing part of the whole affair was that after 
the application for muster-out was prepared and signed, 
I, who had voted against it and expected to remain, 
was selected to present it to General McDowell ! He 
gave me a very cool reception, and after reading it re- 
marked in what I considered an exceedingly rude and 
abrupt manner: 

"Your discharge will be attended to, sir!" and 
turned his back on me. 



From early mom until late in the afternoon the con- 
stant boommg of cannon served to furnish us food for 
comment as we marched towards home. In the latter 
part of the day the cannonading became very irregular, 
at times being quite rapid, then slackening to a desul- 
tory fire. The general opinion was that our army was 
destrojang the enemy. 



HOME AGAIN. 53 

Vv^e reached our old camp at Falls Church that even- 
ing and bivouacked there for the night. 

By daylight of the 2 2d, however, abundant evidence 
of the disaster to our arms appeared. The road from 
the front was filled with disorganized squads of retreat- 
ing troops, horses, mules, wagons — all aiming for the 
Potomac. 

But the story of that wild rout has been so often 
told that its repetition is needless here. 

Our company marched in orderly ranks with the mob 
into Alexandria, which we reached about 3 p. m., and 
after much trouble secured transportation to Washing- 
ton that evening. Here we found quarters for the night 
in a beer garden on Maryland Avenue, and the next 
morning took train for New York City, where the com- 
pany was mustered out. 



24 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



CHAPTER IV 

Some Personal Ineide^its 




URING our stay at Falls Church 
my duties in camp were 
light, owing to my position 
as chief of caissons. This 
gave me frequent opportu- 
nities for scouting on my 
own hook. On one occa- 
sion I suggested to a certain 
captain of the outpost the rather foolhardy idea of 
making a raid on the village of Anandale, some four 
or five miles distant from the advanced picket on the 
road leading from Falls Church. The officer of the 
grand rounds was let into the secret and made one of 
the number selected, he and myself being the only 
mounted individuals in the party. They all belonged 
to a Connecticut regiment. 

Our plan was to leave a guard with the outpost, and 
with the reserve (about twenty men, I think) move for- 
ward to within half a mile of the village and then di- 
vide the force into two equal parts; thus, ten men were 
to move forward, say one hundred yards, and conceal 
themselves behind a fence, while the other ten were to 



SOME PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 25 

remain hidden in the same manner, leaving an interval 
of one hundred yards between, into which the enemy 
were to be enticed and captured. The captain and my- 
self were to ride forward to attract attention. In doing 
so we decided (between ourselves) that it would be best 
for one to drop behind, and in case the enemy should 
give chase he was to turn and flee as an indication of 
weakness, at the first sight of the enemy. 

After both, with their pursuers, had passed the first 
ten, they were to blockade the road in rear, when the 
other ten would throw a line across the front. In this 
way it was thought to spring a trap that would redound 
to our glory. My horse being considered the fleetest, 
it was left to me to raid the town and stir up the ' ' Black- 
horse Cavalry," said to be camped near by. My arms 
consisted of a pocket pistol, which was carried in my 
hand. 

Thus equipped and with perfect confidence in our 
ability to handle forty or fifty of the enemy by reason of 
the wise (?) disposition of our force, I dashed into the 
town, but seeing nothing of the enemy, turned to the 
left and made for a toll-gate, where I interviewed the 
keeper. He informed me that a regiment of Confed- 
erate cavalry had recently been camped in the woods 
just outside the village, but it was not certain that they 
were there now, as none had been seen for a day or two. 

I did not make the haste expected of me by the rear 
guard; at all events on my return I discovered that they 
had acted upon the principle laid down and advice given 
by the militia colonel to his troops before engaging the 
enem}': "Boys," said he, "go in and give them h — 1 ! 
Fight like the d — 1, and if you can't whip them, run! 



26 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

As I'm a little lame, I'll start now." This proved that 
" The best-laid schemes o' mice and men, gang aft agley," 

SO the " Black-horse Cavalry" escaped. 

I was not quite satisfied with the result of this expe- 
dition and resolved to reach Falls Church by a different 
route from that occupied by the out-post, who had pre- 
ceded me on the return. 

Two or three miles southwest of Falls Church there 
was a belt of woods extending from north to south, 
some miles from the Annandale road west. It was com- 
posed of small pines standing so closely together that a 
man could not ride between them on horseback. The 
soil is very light; at this time it was deep and dusty in 
the road, which was about wide enough for wagons to 
pass each other. I determined to reach the western 
road by the route just described, the distance being 
about two miles. After having traversed one-half this 
distance my courage began to weaken. Imagination 
pictured lurking foes on either side of the lonely road, 
still there appeared to be no more danger in going for- 
ward than in returning so, almost in despair, I sank 
the spurs deep into the flanks of my willing horse, who 
sprang forward at the top of his speed, raising a cloud 
of dust which was observed by Professor Lowe (then 
located at General Tyler's Headquarters), who had just 
made a balloon ascension. It was reported to the Gen- 
eral, who at once ordered Lieut. Chas. H. Tompkins with 
'*B" Company, Second U. S Cavalry, to find out the 
cause. Meantime I succeeded in reaching a pomt 
where the roads intersected. Here I ran mto one of 
our outposts consisting of three men. I was halted 



SOME PERSONAI, INCIDENTS. 27 

and requested to give the password. This I did n't 
know, so after a little parleying they placed me in charge 
of one of their number, at my request, and marched me 
to the lieutenant in charge of the reserve. Here I 
found matters in a state of wild excitement caused by 
the capture a little while before of their captain, who 
had gallantly offered his services as escort to two young 
ladies (the Misses Scott) to their home, a few hundred 
yards distant on a road leading to the northwest and in 
the open beyond the belt of woods described above. 

I satisfied the lieutenant of my identity and started 
for camp, feeling a little "sheepish " at this outcome to 
my elaborately-planned raid, but had not proceeded far 
when Lieutenant Tompkins with sixty men came thun- 
dering along. I wheeled, and riding up to the Lieuten- 
ant's side soon ascertained that he was after the party 
responsible for "that dust-" I did n't deem it neces- 
sary to tell him what I knew of it, and Tompkins 
branched off toward the Scott house, believing that the 
party who had captured the captain had also created 
the dust. 

That night and part of the day following was con- 
sumed in scouting, ending with the arrest of the Misses 
Scott and bringing them to headquarters, when, after 
being questioned by the General, they were allowed to 
return home. 

I kept that dust business to myself, fearing it would 
cause more strict orders in relation to my privileges. 

Previous to this affair there resided in the village of 
Falls Church an elderly lady with a son and daughter. 
For some reason the General commanding considered 
the family as "suspicious" and placed restrictions 



28 A I^AMOUS BATTERY. 

Upon the inmates of the house, forbidding them to leave 
the premises. The advanced picket line at this time 
on the road leading to Vienna, and which passed the 
house occupied by this lady, did not extend as far as 
the house by two or three rods; the pickets stationed 
here were instructed to keep a close watch on any visi- 
tors and prevent any such from entering the house. 

During one of my outings I chanced to reach this 
station, and while coaxing the picket to let me ride for- 
ward up the road for a mile or two (I had no p'^ss- 
word), I noticed a young lady standing at the gate. 
After being cautioned by the guard, I was allowed to 
pass. Her manner plainly indicated a desire to speak 
to me as I rode by the gate. So stopping my horse I 
bowed, and she informed me that her mother was very 
anxious to get a letter to General Scott; that they were 
nearly starved by the cruel treatment which General 
Tyler's suspicions had imposed upon them. "Why," 
said this beautiful, earnest little lady, with tears spark- 
ling like dew-drops in a pair of lovely, innocent e3^es, 
"General Scott rents my mother's house in the city 
and we came out here for the summer. ' ' I said, ' ' write 
your letter to General Scott and place it on top of the 
gate post, I will ride forward and on my return will take 
it, and promise that it shall reach its destination." 

I can see her now, although three decades have gone 
rumbling down the corridors of time, 'with tears rolling 
down her sweet face as she thanked me. ' ' If you are 
ever wounded or sick, or need a nurse," said she, "let 
me know and I will gladly come." Her deep sense of 
gratitude and tender j^ears will plead her excuse, if she 
needs one. Each word sank deep into my heart, I 



SOME PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 29 

knew her meaning and honored the noble little lady for 
her sentiments. 

That letter reached General Scott, and the very next 
day a carriage and passes came from the city, to which 
this persecuted little family returned. As they passed 
headquarters and the Batterj^'s camp I was inquired 
for, but as usual was out of camp. They left with the 
Captain their expressions of gratitude for me. 

Upon my return a message from General Tyler to 
report at once, caused me to apprehend a rating for 
leaving camp without permission, but I was rather as- 
tounded when he abruptly broke out with— 

" Lieutenant Smith, I am informed that you are aid- 
ing suspicious persons to escape to Washington." I 
boldly declared that I had mailed a letter addressed to 
General Scott, and if that was aiding in the escape of 
suspicious persons, I was ready for punishment. This 
ended the matter. 

On another occasion I arranged with a countryman 
who brought vegetables and berries to our camp, and 
with whom I had become quite well acquainted, to go 
out home with him to dinner, and, as he suggested, 
enjoy a square meal. 

His farm was about four miles from the village, on 
or near the Vienna pike. The day selected for this 
trip was an extremely warm one, and the road ex- 
cessively dusty, but I kept bravely on, enduring the 
sun's hot rays and as we got out of sight of camp, 
filled with misgivings as to the prudence of venturing 
so far into what might well be called the enemy's 
country, my active imagination began to conjure up 
foes in every bush. I quietly withdrew my trusty 



30 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

pistol from the saddle holster and placed it inside my 
coat, which I buttoned closely to prevent the pistol 
from falling. 

Arriving at our destination, the view of a lonely 
farm house, surrounded by thick woods, did not add 
to my equanimity. 

I began to suspect, though utterly without reason, 
that a trap had been laid for my capture, but could 
not make up mj^ mind to turn and make a break for 
camp, as I certainly had not the slightest evidence of 
any intended treachery. 

Passing through a gate I noted the height of the 
fence, and felt satisfied that my horse could carry me 
over it, if necessary. 

When dismounted my host kindlj^ offered to care for 
the animal, but to this I positively objected, and left 
him under the shade of a tree in the yard, where I 
knew he would be found if not interfered with. He 
would not allow strangers to touch him, but would 
alwaj^s come at my call. I never tied him to anything 
but the picket rope. 

Entering the house, I was politely offered a glass of 
brandy which I discreetly declined. Dinner was soon 
on the table and it was a very good, substantial one, 
which I would have hugely enjoyed under other cir- 
cumstances, but during the meal the perspiration fairly 
streamed down m}^ face, but I dared not unbutton my 
coat, as then the pistol would be exposed. 

I managed to keep my back to the w^all and my ej-es 
open to all that took place around me. As the dinner 
progressed my distress increased. I really do n't know 
how I answered my host's w^ell-meant efforts at con- 



SOME PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 3 1 

versation, nor how I got through the dinner. I was 
possessed with an overpowering anxietj^ to get away 
as speedily as possible. I believe I finally took my 
leave by backing out of the house. 

Calling my horse I mounted, while trsnng to devise 
some plan for a rapid departure that would not expose 
my suspicions. I felt that it would be impossible for 
me to ride away quietly with my back towards the 
people whom I believed to be plotting m}^ destruction. 

As my farmer friend started to open the gate that I 
might pass out, a sudden inspiration came to me and I 
said: 

"Nevermind the gate. Just watch my horse take 
that fence." 

Driving the spurs into the animal, now that I had a 
good excuse for doing so, he rushed at the fence, 
bounded over it like a deer, and dashed down the lane 
in a mad gallop which was kept up until we reached 
the main road. Here, feeling pretty safe, I pulled up 
and opened my coat to cool off, and soon reached camp. 

When my nerves had recovered their tone I felt 
rather ashamed of myself, and was very glad that none 
of the boys had seen the dreadful funk I was in. 

What opinion the farmer and his family formed of 
my queer actions I don't know, for I ver}^ carefully 
avoided him thereafter when he was about the camp, 
and during the rest of our stay in that locality I kept 
within the lines. 



Parx II 

THE FOURTH NEW YORK BATTERY 

Its Formation, its Services, and its Dissolution 



CHAPTER 1 

Organizatio7i — On to Washington 

ETURXING home after a ser- 
vice of three months in the 
field, very much dissatisfied 
with the manner in which 
my brief military career had 
terminated, my former re- 
solve to organize a Battery 
now occupied my whole time 

'-^^ and energies. 

In the early daj^s of 1861, 
organizing and equipping companies of light artillery 
was no small undertaking ; the State authorities fur- 
nished but little help in the way of information, so that 
progress in that direction was necessarily pretty slow. 
My first intention was to attach the Battery to a 




34 



A FAMOUS BATTKKV 



regiment of infantry then being raised by Col. John 
Cochran, believing it was necessar\' that batteries 
should be thus attached. At this time independent 
batteries had not been heard of, so far as I knew. 

On the fifteenth day of August, 1861, I enrolled the 
first man and sent him over to Staten Island, a rendez- 
vous for State troops, and by September 4th thirty- 
seven men were mustered into the State service. 

The company luider State regulations was now enti- 
tled to elect a captain and a first lieutenant. 

Joseph E. Nairn of New York City, who had ser\^ed 
in Varian's Battery, was selected for the latter position 
and .myself for that of Cai)tain. 

The men Were sent down to Staten Island as soon as 
the}^ were mustered, and commenced drilling without 
delay. About this time I learned that Col. E. W. 
Serrell was raising a regiment of engineers, and as 
recruiting was not brisk, a proposition to attach the 
Battery to this organization, which, as represented, 
would entitle the men to the same pay as that of first- 
class engineers, was readily accepted by me. Large post- 
ers setting forth that authority had been obtained from 
the War Department by Colonel Serrell to organize a 
regiment of engineers with a battery attached and all to 
receive pay as first-class engineers, w^ere furnished me 
by the regimental organization and used in good faith ; 
and every man who enlisted thereafter in the Batter> 
was informed that w^hile his duty would be that of ar 
artillerist his pay would be the same as that receivec 
by the engineer corps, viz. : $17.00 a month (a misap 
prehension, as shown by the sequel). 

Mr. J. Courtland Parker, a 3'oung graduate of th- 



ORGANIZATION. -jc 



New York bar and a nephew of Mr. Parrott, enlisted 
in the compan>' with the understanding that he would 
be commissioned as .second lieutenant, jr., and his 
uncle, Mr. Parrott, presented six ten-pounder rifled 
guns, with two hundred rounds of ammunition per 
piece, to the company, whereupon it was decided to 
name the organization "The Parrott Batten.'." After 
consulting with our generous donor it was arranged to 
have each gun stamped with this name— after a selection 
had been made. Mr. Parrott insisted that each piece 
shnuld l:e thoroughly tested before the stamp was ap- 
plied. vSeveral guns, I will not undertake to say how 
many, were transi)orted from the foundry to the target 
ground. Here one at a time they were mounted and 
thoroughly tested as to range and accuracy. Tlirce or 
four days were devoted to this work, when the guns 
were finally left at the foundry subject to my order. 

Recruiting posts were opened at Oswego and Carmel, 
N. Y., and by October 24th, 1S61, one hundred and 
thirty-six men and five (prospfij^ively) connnissioned 
officers were borne upon the company roll ; before this, 
however, Col. E. \V. Serrell left the rendezvous oii 
Staten Island with a part of the regiment and sailed 
for Port Royal, vS. C. 

I now relied entirely upon such instructions as were 
from time to time received from the headquarters of 
the regiment. Realizing that the date of our departure 
was near, I applied at regimental headquarters in New 
York for final instructions and was directed to report 
to General I^Iarcy in Washington, D. C, who, it was 
said, understood all the particulars regarding the 
organization of the Batter}^ and its connection with the 



^6 A FAMOUS liATTl-KV. 

regiment, and would have the former forwarded to 
Port Royal to join the latter. Mr. Parrott was re- 
quested to ship the guns to Washington. 

Everything being ready by October 24th, I called at 
the Adjutant-General's Office, State of New York, in 
Walker Street, to get an order on the Quartermaster- 
General for transportation. But before I had an oppor- 
tunity to make known the nature of my business, Gen- 
eral Hillhouse called me into his private office and in 
the presence of my ist sergeant, E. S. Smith, made the 
following proposition : 

"Captain," said he, "how would you like to have 
your Battery brigaded with three other companies now 
on the island ? I intend to form a batallion of artillery' 
under the name of 'The Morgan Light Artillery'; you 
have the largest company and I will commission you a 
major and give you the command." 

I replied, "General, I could not think of it! My 
men have been enlisted under the impression and prom- 
ise that they would rweive the same pay as first-class 
engineers, by reason of authorit}' said to have been 
given to Colonel Serrell by the authorities in Washing- 
ton. B}' accepting your proposition it would appear as 
though I had bettered my position at the expense of the 
men, who have been enlisted under this inducement." 

" Yery well," said the General, " I merely mentioned 
it to you as a matter of courtesy. I propose to do it." 

Bidding the General good-day, I took my leave, 
without asking for the transportation order, and has- 
tened down to the office of Col. D. D. Tompkins, Q. M. 
G., No. 6 State Street (relying upon a slight acquaint- 
ance obtained throug:h an introduction from his son, a 



ON TO WASHINGTON. 37 

lieutenant in the V. S. Cavalry), to tn- and obtain trans- 
portation for my company to Washington, without an 
order from the State. 

The Colonel promptly complied with my request, 
saying: "Bring your men here to-morrow and I will 
have the papers ready." 

From here I hastened to the Island and arranged to 
have all men who were absent notified of our intended 
departure on the day following. Ivvery man was on 
hand, and my scheme to run away the command from 
the State of New York proved highly successful. I 
felt proud of the achievement, believing I had acted an 
unselfish part to benefit the men and fulfill the promises 
made to them. We left Jersey City about 6 P. M., Oc- 
tober 25th. 

At Philadelphia a committee from the Merchants' 
and Mechanics' Association met us at midnight and es- 
corted the company to the dining rooms of the associa- 
tion, where a very acceptable and timely repast served 
by the wives and daughters of said Merchants and 
Mechanics was highly appreciated by those renegades 
who were escaping from their State to serve the flag. 

At Baltimore some kind persons under the auspices 
of a few loyal women, I have since learned, furnished 
coffee to the boys while they were lounging on the plat- 
form waiting for cars to carr>' them to the Capital. 
Here, after a wearisome delay of several hours, some old 
cattle cars, reeking with filth, were run up, which we 
were informed constituted our train. I forbade the 
men entering, declaring we would march the entire dis- 
tance on foot before I would consent to have them oc- 
cupy cars unfit fur animals. There was no fun. about 



38 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

my kick and I fear ray language may have been more 
vigorous than elegant; be that as it may, it was not 
ver>^ long before decent cars were provided, and the 
trip to Washington was completed after consuming 
twenty-six hours en-route. 

On the 27th I reported our arrival to General Marcy, 
explaining the particulars, as he was apparently ignor- 
ant of the existence of such an organization as the regi- 
ment with a battery attached. He referred me to Gen. 
B. F. Barr>', Chief of Artillery, who at once informed 
me that it w^as contrary to orders for niounted troops to 
be attached to regiments of foot, but advised me to lay 
the subject before the men, telling them they could not 
serv^e as light artillerists and receive pay as first-cla.ss 
engineers, but if they wished he would mount the com- 
pany as a light battery; otherwise they would be sent 
to the regiment, but not as a battery. He further said 
that by consenting to be mounted at that t-ime the men 
would not be prevented from joining their regiment at 
some future period, provided Congress pa.ssed a law 
legalizing the attachment of artillery to infantry. 

This question was plainly and fully discussed by the 
men, who, after one or two days consumed in delibera- 
tion, decided to accept the proposition to be mounted 
as a battery of light artillery, reser\-ing the right to 
join the regiment under the foregoing provisions. All 
but thirteen men agreed to these terms. 

During this time the company was quartered in the 
" Soldiers' Retreat," but now General Barr>^ issued for- 
age-wagons, and tents, minus poles and pins — the lattei 
were procured from the woods near the Eastern Brand 
— and we soon were in quarters at "Camp Duncan,' 
East Capitol Hill. 



ON TO WASHINGTON. 39 

I made an application to General Barry for the six 
guns forwarded by Mr. Parrott; to my surprise I was 
informed that the guns had been issued and that I could 
not have them under any consideration. This was a 
grievous disappointment and, I then thought, a piece 
of rank injustice, but the inflexible reins of military 
discipline were beginning to tighten on us, and objec- 
tions to orders were futile and dangerous. 

We had our first comi)any nuister for pay November 
ist, made by Captain, now General, Gibbon, U. S. Ar- 
tiller>'. Battery " D," N. V. Light Artillery, was the 
name given us by General Barry, and a few weeks later 
it was changed to Battery " C." The officers' commis- 
sions were held back l)y the vState authorities, conse- 
quently the organization, so far as the State was con- 
cerned, was without a name or number. General Barry 
communicated with the State Adjutant-General, and 
finally declared unless our commissions were forwarded 
without delay, he would muster the company as U. S. 
troops. 

In response to this the commissions were received 
and the organization designated as the 4th New New 
Independent Battery. 

We were actively engaged at Camp Duncan in daily 
drilling as drivers and cainioneers, dismounted, as there 
were neither spare horses nor guns in the District. We 
waited with what patience we could, till the Govern- 
ment would be able to supply us. 

One day, in the early part of November, I called on 
General Barr^-, and, to my surprise, he said, without 
looking up: "Captain, I am going to break up Battery 
"C," Chicago Light Artillery, which is near your 



40 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

camp, and have prepared an order for Captain Busteed 
to turn over to you all ordnance and quartermaster's 
stores now in his possession; be very careful and inspect 
the property before receipting for it. " 

During the delivery of these instructions Captain 
Busteed himself entered and was a listener to the 
greater part of General Barry's remarks. Turning in 
his seat General Barry faced him and at once repeated 
the substance of the order, which he held in his hand. 

Before sunset I was in possession of a complete six- 
gun batter}^ composed of four ten-pounder Parrotts and 
two six-pounder brass field pieces, and one hundred and 
thirty-two horses. I also secured eight enlisted men, 
and with a swelling heart I found myself at last the 
proud commander of a splendidly equipped Battery, 
ready for duty in the great army gathered at the Capital. 

Now we began work in earnest. We were all la- 
mentably deficient in knowledge of our duties, but we 
possessed the means of informing ourselves, viz. : a book 
of instructions in artillery tactics, issued by the Gov- 
ernment, and we were not too proud to consult it. I 
never gave an order which I could not explain — if I 
blundered the men were not censured for it; if requested 
by an inspecting oJB&cer to execute a maneuvre with 
which I knew the men were not familiar, I would 
frankly admit that they had not been instructed in that 
particular movement, and so were not competent to 
execute it properly. 

I speak of this trifling matter because I have seen 
battery commanders who issued orders during inspec- 
tion and on the drill field, not understanding or being- 
competent to explain the same, and then, assuming to 



ON TO WASHINGTON. 4 1 

be much annoyed, they would declare that the men 
of their command were so stupid that it was difficult to 
beat anything into their thick skulls. 

I also have personal knowledge of two captains of 
batteries who were most righteously discharged by 
reason of an attempt to thus vilify their men, to hide 
their own ignorance. 

When it happened that the men of my command did 
not understand matters appertaining to their duties, the 
fault was mine. I had failed to properly instruct them. 
I venture the assertion that this reasoning holds good 
in ninety-nine similar cases out of every hundred. 

Before lo o'clock a. m., November 24, one of Gen- 
eral Barry's aides brought me a verbal message that the 
General would review and inspect the Battery at 4 
p. M. We were ready for him when the time arrived, 
passing in review at a walk and trot without a mishap ; 
after this, inspection, and a talk with the cannoneers 
to get an idea of their general intelligence. Then 
the General, turning to me, stated that he had, during 
his experience, inspected batteries which had been in 
service as many years as we had weeks, which had not 
pleased him so much. "Can you," he added, "be 
ready to march by 5 o'clock to-morrow morning? " 

I replied, " Certainly ! " 

Fortunately, I had a large quantity of hay and grain 
on hand which would serve us for the march, to which 
I called his attention. ". O, well, you must take it with 
you, ' ' said he, "I will send the wagons in charge of a 
wagon-master to report to-night. Your destination is 
Budd's Ferry, lower Maryland, where you will report to 
General Hooker." 



2 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

The boys were wild with delight to get a chance to go 
to the field, and began their preparations at once. 

We crossed the Eastern Branch before sunrise on the 
2sth of November, a cool, crisp morning, and after a 
pleasant march through the bleak hills of Maryland 
reached Budd's Ferry at 6 o'clock p. m. on the 28th 
and when the bugle sounded " drivers dismount," and 
a moment later "unhitch and unharness," we went mto 
what proved to be our winter quarters. 

It may be noted just here that General Barry's warm 
praise had the effect of inspiring confidence in the 
whole company. Park and field drills were zealously 
practiced during the winter, and the company could 
execute every maneuvre in the book before our de- 
parture on the Peninsula campaign in March, 1862. 



WINTER QUARTERS IN LOWER MARYLAND. 



43 



CHAPTER II 



JVmfn' Quarters iyi Loiver Majyland — Incidents 




TRING our stay at Budd's 
Fern- our time was prin- 
cipall}^ occupied in per- 
forniiug picket duty op- 
posite Shipping Point 
batter3\ The enemy had 
captured the old river 
steamboat George Page, 
and kept her behind a small strip of land, in one of 
the streams which enter the Potomac at this point, for 
the purpose of securing any vessels that might be dis- 
abled by their batteries. 

To offset this, General Hooker caused a hole to be 
dug on the edge of the river bank near the * ' Budd ' ' 
house (directly opposite the outlet to the stream in 
which the Page w^as stationed), large enough for 
two field pieces. Planks were laid for the gun carriages 
to rest on, to enable the gunners to make some calcu- 
lation as to range and elevation. Here one section of 
artiller>^ was constantly stationed during the blockade, 
to counteract and prevent the Page from interfering 
with Union vessels, should occasion arise. 

It is needless to say that she did not leave her moor- 



44 A I^AMOUS BATTERY. 

ings once while the blockade lasted, and was burned 
by the enemy when it was raised. 

This picket duty offered an excellent opportunity for 
practice in gunnery. A perfect range of the works 
across the river was obtained, and we soon became 
quite expert in placing our shots just about where we 
wished. On more than one occasion have I driven the 
sentry from the parapet by the accuracy of the aim ; 
the distance was, I think, about two thousand yards, 
and our annoyance was so great to the enemy, at times, 
that they would return our fire with an apparent 
determination to annihilate us. Sometimes the large 
vShells would nearly fill with sand the hole we occupied, 
but they could not put a shot into it, at least, they did 
not. 

During these spasmodic attacks we would hug the 
bottom of the pit, and when their fire ceased we would 
open up and tantalize them again. Reliefs took place 
under cover of night, leaving the carriages in rear of 
the ' ' Budd ' ' house during the day. 

I remember visiting this post one night ; the moon 
was shining brightly and it was expected there would 
be some fun, for there was little doubt but some enter- 
prising Yankee skipper would try to run the blockade. 
We were not disappointed, for at one time white sails 
appeared to cover the surface of the water as far as the 
eye could reach, all going up stream. They sailed very 
near the Maryland shore, while the channel is on the 
other side. 

They were, of course, plainly visible from the other 
side, and the firing from the forts there was very rapid, 
but no damage was done to any vessel so far as known- 



INCIDENTS. 45 

I heard one fellow sing out, *'Fire awaj^, you pesky 
cusses, you can ' t hit anything ' ' ; and each time a shot 
would pass over or go near his schooner he would yell 
and ridicule the inaccuracy of the enemy's aim. At 
last a shot passed through one of his sails, which seemed 
to paralyze him for a moment, but recovering his voice 

he shouted to his fellow sailors, *' I '11 be d d if they 

did n't put a shot through my sail." After that he 
kept silent. 

While we lay here the famous passage of the Pensa- 
cola occurred, now a matter of histor>\ We had been 
informed of her coming and consequently were on the 
qui Vive. The night was dark and from out the gloom 
came a low, swishing sound caused by the steam being 
nearly shut off, I presume ; but we heard the sound 
before we could see her. Great anxiety prevailed 
among those present as to the success of the passage. 
Scarcely a word was spoken, while the cannonading 
was very heavy from all the enemy's works. It did 
not seem possible that a ship of her size could escape 
' ' scot ' ' free. No one seemed to hope for this. 

The explosion of shells between our shore and the 
Pe7isacola was appalling ; the earth was torn up along 
the river bank where the shot plunged, giving it the 
appearance of an ancient potato field after digging 
time. 

We had no means of knowing at the time how much 
or how little damage was done— we only knew that the 
dark mass of shadow continued on her course, and that 
was enough to relieve the terrible strain endured for 
many minutes. 

In this connection I remember that in the winter of 



46 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

'62-' 63, while marching from Manassas to Falmouth, 
Va., with Hooker's old Division, then under command 
of Gen. D. E. Sickles, we camped one night at Dum- 
fries, Va. , about five miles as the crow flies, from Budd's 
Ferry, Md. Here we were informed that all the gun- 
ners who participated in the bombardment of the Pen- 
sacola were imprisoned by the Confederates for their 
failure to cripple her. And in this same town I saw a 
solid Parrott shot w^hich one of the citizens had picked 
up in the street the preceding winter and kept as a relic. 
I was informed that this shot had been fired from Budd's 
Ferry, Md. The 4th New York Battery had the only 
Parrott guns stationed at this post during the period 
the shot was said to have been fired. I was surprised 
to learn that a projectile could be propelled through the 
air so great a distance by these guns. 

The first winter of our military career was passed in 
lower Maryland on Mr. Posey's farm, our camp being 
about a mile back from the river. General Hooker ad- 
vised Mr. Posey to collect his rails and pile them near 
his house, and he (General Hooker) would have a guard 
placed over them. 

This was done but, in some manner never explained, 
the rails were not to be found in the spring. Several 
paths leading from the spot once occupied by the rail 
pile were visible to the naked eye, but alas the rails had 
vanished. How the guards accounted for the total 
disappearance of their charge I do not know. The 
First Mass. Volunteers, Battery *'H"; istU. S. Artil- 
lery, Battery " D " ; ist New York, and Smith's Battery 
were all located on this farm. 

One fact worthy of mention is that Mr. Posey had 



INCIDENTS. 47 

not made friends with the boys. For instance, at the 
time we located on his premises some of the men found 
two sucking pigs, very small, which they took- to their 
cabins and fed on condensed milk with a spoon until 
old enough to eat other food. These pigs became great 
pets, and when old enough followed the horses to and 
from water and would show fight if a horse refused to 
let them have a share of oats or corn while feeding. 
When half grown one was kicked to death by a horse; 
the other, black as coal, roamed at will, rigged out in 
a cover made from a scarlet saddle blanket. 

I frequently received reports from the ist Mass. camp 
concerning the conduct of his pig-ship, w^hose freedom 
in officers' quarters w^as the talk of the camp. He 
stoutly resisted any attempt to remove him. Mr. Posey 
heard that w^e had a shoat in camp and straightway 
put in a claim of ownership, which could not be well 
denied, as the animal was found on the premises. But 
we knew the pig owed his life to the care and attention 
of those w^ho had raised him. 

These facts were laid before Mr. Posey when he came 
with two skves to assist him in taking possession. He, 
however, refused to argue the matter, and armed with 
authority from General Hooker demanded that the pig 
be delivered up. I offered to pay any price he might 
ask in reason rather than order the men to surrender 
their pet. His only reply was, " I want my property." 

"Go and take it," I answered finally. He told his 
slaves how to proceed, and the boys of the Battery, 
who fully understood my sentiments, were not slow in 
devising a way to solve the problem and settle the 
difiiculty. 



48 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

They at once offered to help catch the object of all 
this contention, so about fifty men started in hot pur- 
suit of the pig, managing, however, to keep near the 
negroes, and whenever one of the latter was in the act 
of stooping to seize a leg, several men would acci- 
dentally rush against and send him heels over head. 
Mr. Posey after fuming and fretting over the ridiculous 
spectacle, requested me to order the men away, which 
I declined to do. It was very evident that the Yankees 
were going to retain possession for the time being. So 
hostilities ceased, not to be renewed. 

I might add that Mr. Pig lost his life at Hampton, 
Va., when following the horses to water. He was 
killed by a New York lancer, who was ignorant of the 
fact that he was a Battery pet. After some loud talk- 
ing the matter was disposed of by the men of the Bat- 
tery dressing and roasting ' ' Pat, ' ' whose untimely end 
was regretted by none more than myself. 

Another appendage to the Battery was in the shape 
of a white bull dog named Chauncey, brought from 
New York by some member of the company. Chaun- 
cey was very useful. He too had a scarlet cover, and 
while sitting on an ammunition chest during a march, 
as was his wont, his general appearance was such as to 
increase one's respect for the canine family. Chauncey 
was never frolicsome, always sedate and dignified. 

The many cabins wi4h green hides stretched over 
rafters for a roof bore evidence to his skill in catching 
and holding cattle till they were disposed of without the 
usual noise made by shooting, a dangerous proceeding 
where a provost guard was in the neighborhood. 

Some people lost cattle in the vicinity of Budd's 



INCIDENTS. 



49 



Ferry and reported the fact to General Hooker. An 
investigation followed, and the hides referred to caused 
the occupants of the cabins so covered to be placed in 
arrest. A court was in session in Posey's house, and the 
men were ordered for trial. I felt apprehensive, fearing 
the evidence was too convincing. Lieut. Parker assured 
me there was no cause for worriment. 

"I am going to defend the boys, and clear them, 
too," said he. 

This statement proved to be correct in the end, but 
how it was accomplished I never learned. 

This recalls another little incident, although it 
occurred some months later. 

In August, 1862, when near Bottom's Bridge, on our 
retreat from Harrison's Landing, Va., after going into 
camp one afternoon. Generals Hooker and Heintzel- 
man rode forward to inspect the crossing at the river, 
when, unexpectedly, four men carrying two sheep 
emerged from the high corn near the roadside, which had 
hidden them from view. Too late they discovered the 
presence of the Generals, so they boldly faced the music. 

''Where did you get those sheep?" asked General 
Hooker, pointing in the direction of a brick house; one 
of the men replied, ' ' Over there. " * ' Very well, ' ' said 
the General, ' ' take them back, but first give me your 
names." 

This was apparently done and a memorandum made. 
' ' Ah ! ' ' exclaimed Hooker, ' ' I see, you belong to 
'Smith's thieves' " (a nick-name he had given them 
after the cattle trial; but he used to say, "they have 
a redeeming quality — they will fight ! "); "well, report 
yourselves in arrest to Captain Smith." 



50 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

The men started off towards the brick house, while 
the Generals continued their journey. 

Next day, while marching through the dust and 
heat, I heard some cheering, caused, as I soon learned, 
by General Hooker and staff riding along our flank to 
reach the front. He asked one of the staff ofiicers the 
name of the Battery and sent for me. Riding out from 
the road I reported. 

''Captain," said he, "did four of your men report 
for the guard-house last night for sheep stealing ? ' ' 

"No, sir," was my answer; but I thought of the 
mutton chops enjoyed the night before. He drew from 
his pocket an old envelope and read off the names of 
the culprits, as he supposed, which he had written down 
the day before. 

"General," I said, "there must be some mistake; 
the names 5^ou have mentioned are not on my rolls. ' ' 

He stared at me a moment, while a smile crept over 
his handsome face; then realizing how he had been 
duped, he could not resist a broad grin, ending the in- 
terview by adding — "The d d rascals." 



YORKTOWN. 



51 



CHAPTER III 

Yorkto7vn . 




.^ 



E left Lower Maryland in March, 

1862, bound south. It re- 

^^_^__ quired three schooners 

to transport the horses 

and the drivers, while 

the cannoneers and 

carriages were put on 

board an old ferry boat. 

A part of the expedi- 

Point Lookout, while the 

the schooners, 



tion was storm-bound at 

balance went on to Hampton Roads- 

with our horses, included. 

After the storm had ceased the vessels that had re- 
mained at Point Lookout started for Fortress Monroe, 
but as we approached the mouth of Cheeseman's Creek a 
steamer from the fort met the head of the fleet and 
turned our course up the creek, where we disembarked. 

The news of the destruction wrought to vessels an- 
chored in Hampton Roads by the Rebel ram Merrimac 
filled us with alarm for the safety of those who were on 
the schooners. We plainly heard the booming of the 
cannon while the terrible conflict raged. 

Our suspense during the few days separation which 



52 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

intervened was intense; not one word could we get in 
the way of information regarding those who were ab- 
sent. I feared the worst, believing two-thirds of my 
men had fallen victims without the means of firing one 
shot in defense; but the arrival of Lieutenant Nairn 
with every man and horse caused great rejoicing in our 
camp. He had marched across country from Hampton. 

We now moved up near Yorktown to take part in the 
siege of that historic place. During our stay here the 
Battery was in continual active service. 

Our last night here was spent on picket duty. To 
me this was the most trying night I remember. The 
ground pointed out to me where the Battery was to 
take position was in front of and about eight hundred 
yards distant from the famous Red Redoubt, and in 
front of the Federal battery known as No. 3, on the left 
of the Union line. 

I placed the Battery in the woods near by until night 
to- prevent the enemy from discovering our close prox- 
imity. I also caused some dry corn stalks to be re- 
moved from the field where we were to take position, to 
avoid making unnecessary noise by the carriages pass- 
ing over them. This seemed to be prudent, as the 
enemy's sharpshooters were known to occupy positions 
in rear of a cluster of standing chimneys, located nearly 
midway between the lines, all that was left of some 
structure which had been given to the flames. 

After dark, by moving one carriage at a time, the 
Battery was finally located as directed by the Division 
Chief of Artiller}^, accompanied with instructions to 
protect Battery No. 3, in the event of a sortie by the 
enemy. (It was undoubtedly a mistake to place the 



YORKTOWN. 53 

battery in this exposed position before it was required; 
it should have been posted in rear of the works.) 

On this particular night the Federal commander ap- 
peared to have reason to believe that the enemj^ w^ere 
intending to make a move, and our army was disposed 
so as to defend the unfinished works along our front. 

The enemy did move, but in another direction from 
that expected by us. While the Army of the Potomac 
was preparing to repel an assault upon its front, the 
Confederates were making tracks towards Williams- 
burg, after arranging to keep up a continual cannon- 
ade from their works for many hours during the night 
to cover their retreat. This ruse was successful. 
When the Federals moved forward next morning there 
was not one Confederate soldier found in the fortifica- 
tions of Yorktown. This ended the siege of thirty 
day's duration. 

All through this dreadful night we were exposed to 
this fire, and, unused to such demonstrations, it was our 
firm conviction that the foe intended to come forth from 
his lair and give us battle. Hence, every shot, with 
lighted fuse attached, by which it couH be traced, trav- 
eling in our direction, was eagerly watched until its 
destination had been reached. Some fell short, while 
others passed over us, as good fortune would have it, 
and notwithstanding the close calls made by some of 
the many shells fired from mortars and huge guns, we 
received no damage beyond being frightened half out 
of our wits. 

Just before dawn I withdrew the Battery out of range 
and awaited results. I had no orders for this move- 
ment but acted on my own responsibility. 



54 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

When it became light enough to see, the Army of 
the Potomac was found to be in hne of battle about eight 
hundred yards in the rear, thus placing my battery be- 
tween the two lines. And here occurred an incident 
that might have had very serious results to all con- 
cerned. Captain Griffin, U. S. Artiller^^ whose bat- 
tery was in rear of my position, rode forward and or- 
dered me to remove my command, saying he intended 
to shell the enemy. I informed him that I had received 
my orders from General Hooker. He said he would 
fire over our heads if I did not withdraw. I replied, * * If 
you do, I will return the fire." Returning to his Bat- 
tery he gave the order to load, and I reversed my guns. 
At this moment one of General Hooker's aides came 
dashing up and directed me to fall back. 

I can not say at this late day what would have been 
the consequences if Captain Griffin had carried out his 
threat. Reporting to General Hooker he asked what 
I was doing out there. I said, ' ' your Chief of Artillery 
is responsible for the predicament from which you have 
just extricated me." 

" My God ! " he muttered, " Can 't I find any one 
to carry out an order intelligently ? ' ' 

Returning to camp preparations were made for our 
usual Sunday morning inspection, and a brand new 
uniform was donned in honor of the occasion ; in fact 
never after, during my service, was I so gorgeously 
arrayed. lyight colored kids, light boots and sky-blue 
trousers, made up the most conspicuous part of my 
attire. 

I had just commenced inspection when the Chief of 
Artillery rode into the park and ordered me to pull out 



YORKTOWN. 55 

at a trot, saying, '* Yorktown is evacuated and we are 
going to pursue the enemy." 

I prided mj^self on promptness, and at once gave the 
necessary orders, detailing a sergeant and six men to 
strike camp and follow with camp equipage, etc. 

The weather was fine, so I left without an overcoat, 
expecting everything would be up by night. 

Before leaving camp, having started the Battery 
ahead, I visited the hospital. Here, one of our men, 
a fine young fellow, named Kilby, appealed to me with 
tears in his eyes to be taken with us, but the surgeon 
in charge informed me that his condition was serious, 
if not dangerous, and that it would be madness to 
grant his request. Reluctantly I was compelled to 
refuse. Poor boy, he did not long survive our departure, 
he died four days later. 

Another man (Charlton) who was in the hospital for 
treatment, with glistening eyes and quivering lips asked 
to be taken in the ambulance. The surgeon not object- 
ing, I consented. 

These matters do not appear to contain much of in- 
terest to the general public; there is, however, a sequel 
which will explain the motive for entering into details 
as to my dress and the hospital episode as to Charlton. 

Hastening on I overtook the command before enter- 
ing the works at Yorktown. Here the advance column 
of the army seemed to meet with some obstacle. Later 
on we learned that buried torpedoes were scattered pro- 
miscuously in the works around the guns left mounted 
on the parapets; in fact, some of our troops had been 
killed by the explosion of concealed shells, before the 
necessary warning could be given. After this, every 



56 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

foot of the road over which we marched was carefully 
inspected by experienced engineers, who found many 
shells buried along the entire route, leaving a small 
wire exposed two or three inches above the ground, 
which, being struck by the foot of man or beast would 
cause an explosion. 

The engineers marked the location of these shells by 
sticking into the ground by the side of the wire a small 
branch eighteen or twenty inches high, with a piece of 
colored cloth fastened at the top. (This refers to hidden 
torpedoes along each side of the road; those that were 
buried in the middle of the road were removed.) 













"T^^ 






"V^^ " - ' 



PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF WILI.IAMSBURG. FROM SKETCH 
MADE BY THE AUTHOR AT THE TIME. 



GKNKRAI. HOOKKR. 



57 



'^-r^ 



CHAPTER IV 

4. fj^^J 




WHEN night came on we 
had made just about one-half 
the distance from Yorktown to 
WilHamsburg. Our battery, 
ranking second in the Divis- 
ion, was the last in the Hne of 
march of Division artillery. 
It had commenced to driz- 
zle at dark and this soon 
developed into a violent rain storm which lasted most 
of the night. After a long, wearisome pull we were 
halted in front of a brick church, subsequently made 
famous as a prominent point in the line of march, and 
remained there in the darkness and rain until midnight, 
awaiting orders. 

The Battery was then moved into an adjacent field 
and the men were allowed to obtain such rest as they 
could. With the aid of the tarpaulins they managed 
to construct fairly comfortable shelters. I had a rather 
cheerless time, principally owing to the absence of my 
overcoat, which I had rather thoughtlessly left behind 
with the baggage. 



58 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

But the longest night has an ending and at daylight 
we swung out on the road again and took our place in 
the marching column, without a mouthful of food for 
man or beast. 

At 6 a. m., sharp firing in front gave notice that the 
enemy had made a stand. 

The Battery, notwithstanding the horrible roads, 
moved forward, until it reached a cross road, near the 
church above alluded to. Here we found a forage train 
mired in the mud and blockading the road. The only 
way to get by was to cut a passage through the woods, 
which I decided to do, and the axes of the Battery 
were at once set in motion bj^ the men, who were wet 
to the skin, cold and hungry, but willing and anxious 
to do their whole duty. 

While they were thus engaged I rode forward to 
report the situation to General Hooker. I found him 
in front of Fort Magruder just in the rear of Battery 
'*H," First U. S. Artillery, and Bramhall's 6th New 
York Independent Battery, which were posted near the 
edge of the felled timber, and vigorously engaged. 

I stated our condition to him and the difficulty 
experienced in getting through. Without turning his 
eager gaze from the front he said quietly : 

"Well, Captain, I do n't think you '11 be needed, but 
get up as soon as possible." 

Returning, I found the roads almost impassable, 
teams being doubled every few rods to extricate gun- 
carriages from the mud holes, while horses, wagons and 
men seemed mixed up in irretrievable confusion. 

By noon a road, or rather a passageway, had been cut 
through the dense woods for half a mile, and by vigor- 



GENERAL HOOKER. 59 

ous exertion, and, I am afraid, much profanit}^ five of 
our guns and caissons were got through. 

It was now between i and 2 o'clock p. m., and Gen- 
eral Hooker's lines were fully a mile away. Just as 
we had got clear of our improvised road I met Lieu- 
tenant Abbott, aide to General Hooker, with verbal in- 
structions from the General to hasten forward. 

The guns were then passed in front of the caissons, 
and the drivers ordered to urge the horses with whip 
and spur. The road we were now on was new and 
narrow and bore evidence of having been recently opened 
by cutting away the underbrush and trees through a 
strip of heavy timber, and was so arranged that the 
guns of Fort Magruder covered it. 

As we were struggling forward I found Capt. Chaun- 
cey McKeever, General Heintzelman's Adjutant-Gen- 
eral, actively engaged in posting a line of cavalry to 
check the retreat of disorganized troops whose faces 
were turned in the wrong direction. When we came 
up he shouted to me an order to turn my guns upon 
these "stragglers," though I do n't think that term 
could properly apply to men who had been fighting 
since 6 o'clock in the morning. Rightly judging that 
this was only a ruse of the captain to command the at- 
tention of the weary and disheartened soldiers, I disre- 
garded the orders and continued the march, through 
masses of wounded men, some being assisted by com- 
rades, while others were hobbling along as best they 
could trying to reach the field hospital. But a more 
terrible sight to us, about to engage in our first battle, 
were the numerous dead who lay where they had fallen 
in the skirmish of the advance in the morning. 



6o A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

The hospital, and, near by, General Heintzelman's 
headquarters (in the saddle) were passed ; two hundred 
yards further on I found General Hooker in the middle 
of the road, without an aide or an orderly in sight. 

* * Where are you going, Captain ? " he asked. 

"To the front," was my answer. 

'' My God ! There is no front," he exclaimed. "Can 
you go in battery here ? ' ' 

The guns were in column of pieces on a narrow road 
not more than twenty-five feet wide, the carriages sunk 
to the naves in mud, but at the command "Action 
front ! ' ' after the General had pointed out the direction 
from which to expect the enemy, the boys promptly 
and coolly executed the maneuvre, forming a line par- 
allel with the road with two sections, while one howit- 
zer covered the road leading to the fort. 

From the muzzles of the four guns to the edge of 
the wood opposite the distance was not greater than 
twenty yards, and from this point we looked for au 
attack. 

As many of Hooker's infantry were still somewhere 
in the woods, we had to exercise great precaution not 
to fire upon our own men, who were being forced back 
by the Confederate advance. 

The guns were double shotted with canister, the men 
standing in the position of " Ready." And now came 
the most trying ordeal to which a soldier can be sub- 
jected. Our instructions were not to fire until the 
enemy came in sight, and if we failed to repulse to 
spike and surrender. This was made necessary by 
the condition of the roads. We could neither retreat 
nor advance, and as the horses were not needed they 



WILLIAMSBURG. 6 1 

were sent to the rear, thus relieving fifteen drivers from 
the expected storm of bullets. 

And then, while the men stood to their pieces, strain- 
ing their eager eyes to pierce the thick brush in front, 
a dropping fire was opened on us by sharpshooters com- 
pletely hidden from view, resulting in the killing of 
one gallant fellow, Robert C. Lowrie — the last man 
recruited for the Battery, who had joined us at Phila- 
delphia and been mustered in at Washington. He 
dropped at his gun and was sent to the field hospital, 
where he died. In another moment brave Corporal 
Riker tumbled over, mortally wounded, and then Pri- 
vate George Cipperly suddenly fell from his horse, with 
a sharp cry, and was carried to the rear. In quick 
succession John B. Johnston and Robert Shaw dropped 
badly wounded. 

This murderous fire from an invisible enemy was a 
severe trial to men who had never yet been in the front 
of battle, especially as no defense could be made, but 
the Battery boys stood to their posts manfully and 
quietly awaited orders. 

The guns occupied a position upon a knoll on the 
side of, and elevated about three feet above, the road. 
Near the edge of the bank General Hooker sat upon 
his horse, calmly watching the progress of affairs, while 
General Heintzelman had gathered a few musicians 
and drummers at the field hospital near by, who, under 
his orders to ' ' Play Hail Columbia and Yankee Doodle 
and drum like hell," were doing their level best to 
make up in noise what thej^ lacked in music. 

Presently through the underbrush we could see the 
legs of a mass of men hurriedly getting into line, their 



62 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

bodies and faces being concealed by the leaves and 
branches, and it was quite evident that they were form- 
ing for a charge. Now was the decisive moment, and 
cautioning the men in a low voice as to what was ex- 
pected of them, I gave the order "Commence firing!" 
A sheet of flame, a terrific roar, followed by three more 
rounds, double shotted with canister, as fast as they 
could be fired without sponging, and then, enveloped in 
smoke, we awaited with intense anxiety the result. 

It was as gratifying to us as it was disastrous to the 
enemy. They had been swept away like chaff before 
the wind, and none were left but the dead and wounded, 
who littered the ground in front of us. 

At our first round General Hooker's 
horse reared and tumbled over the em- 
bankment into the road. I feared that 
a "rotten shot" had struck him, but it 
turned out that the sudden report had 
X ^^=>-^ startled the animal, and before the Gen- 

eral, a splendid horseman, could control 
him he was over the bank, landing his rider in the mud 
and falling partially on him. Some of the boys rushed 
to his assistance, but he extricated himself and quickly 
assuring them that he was not injured, remounted and 
road away. 

The report of our guns had attracted the attention of 
the watchful enemy in Fort Magruder, and they instantly 
opened on us, sending their compliments in the shape 
of six-pound balls during the rest of the day. But 
their range was poor and they did little damage. We 
replied to them, besides shelling the woods wherever 
there were indications that an attempt was being made 
to re-form their lines. 




WILLIAMSBURG. 63 

As before related, I was in full dress uniform, 3^ellow 
kids, etc., which I had donned for the inspection at 
Yorktown the day before, when we were so suddenly 
ordered to the front. My trousers were now torn and 
my whole suit soiled with the mud and rain, for the 
skies poured down an incessant shower the whole day, 
and having neither rubber nor overcoat I know that I 
must have presented a rather bizarre appearance, es- 
pecially with the bright yellow kids, which fitted so 
tightl}^ that I had not taken the time to remove them, 
so when, during the afternoon, Gen. Phil. Kearney, the 
most reckless, daring, general officer that the Army of 
the Potomac ever had, came riding up, in advance of 
his Division, to the Battery, which presented the only 
semblance of a line in sight, his quick eye took in the 
situation at a glance. Briskly dashing up, he halted 
near me, and looking me over from head to foot, he 
burst out: 

* ' Well, you're a d d fine looking peacock ! Who 

the devil are you ? ' ' 

I laughed, and we were soon exchanging news. After 
a short conversation he requested me to cease firing 
until he rode out to the felled timber to get a better view 
of the situation. I gave the order, and in a moment he 
was off up the road at full speed, his horse sending a 
perfect shower of mud in all directions. 

He returned in a few minutes and asked me to ad- 
vance a section of guns to the felled timber in order to 
shell some infantry that were visible from there, but 
added: 

** Wait until I see you again," and started back to 
urge forward his troops. He returned with a small de- 



64 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

tachment which he placed in the woods opposite us, and 
then hurried up another squad and so soon estabHshed 
his division in a new line. While thus occupied he 
noticed a lot of soldiers gathering in the vicinity of the 
Battery, without officers, and in a sharp tone of voice he 
asked: 

"What troops are you ?'* 

"Jersey," was the reply. 

"What brigade?" 

"Second," was answered. 

' ' Where are your officers ? ' ' 

' * We haven' t any, ' ' was the rather sullen rejoinder. 

" Well ! " shouted Phil. " I am a one-armed Jersey 
son-of-a-gun, follow me ! , Three cheers ! ' ' 

And swinging his cap around his head, he succeeded 
in infusing new life into these weary, worn-out heroes, 
who had held their ground while a cartridge could be 
obtained from the boxes of their fallen comrades, then 
slowly retired until they reached the Battery. But they 
were too loyal to continue their retrograde movement 
while there was a show for making a stand, and they 
followed General Kearney across the road and into the 
woods with an answering cheer, and without a round of 
ammunition among them. 

He directed me to take my Battery where the men 
could rest, and then just at sunset, when the rain had 
ceased and the clouds parted and the whole western 
horizon was luminous, he led his division to the charge 
through the gloomy, rain-soaked woods. 

It took but a few minutes to reach the enemy, who 
had watched these preparations and were ready for 
them. 



WII.I.IAMSBURG. 65 

They encountered a terrible fusilade to which, from 
scarcity of ammunition, they could make but a feeble 
reply, and so were forced back, but the cautious Con- 
federates, smarting from their fearful experience of a 
few moments before, did not follow. 

It was now growing late, and the disorganized sol- 
diers belonging to other commands came back to the 
Battery, not knowing where else to go, I presume. 
The General ordered them to form in the rear of the 
guns as a support, which the brave, patient fellows at 
once did. 

As there was no likelihood of any further hostilities 
during the night, the Battery was collected and the car- 
riages parked in an open field about four hundred 
yards in rear of the position we had occupied in the 
morning, and the worn out, half-famished men, who had 
eaten nothing since the day before, proceeded to make 
themselves as comfortable as possible for the night. The 
tarpaulins were utilized to sleep on, while a sort of shed, 
covered with poles and brush, was put up for the officers 
in the adjoining woods. In front of this was built a 
large fire, kept burning during the night by forming 
five colored servants into reliefs of two hours each. 
With a rail for a pillow and a saddle blanket for pro- 
tection from the wet ground, and feet to the fire, we 
slept the sleep of utter exhaustion on the battle field. 



66 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



CHAPTER V 

Official Reports — Some Misstatements Corrected 

May 6th opened clear and warm. It was now remem- 
bered, with many pangs, that our fast had not been 
broken since the morning of the 4th. Appearances 
were not encouraging, but some of the men were 
mounted and dispatched to search for our wagons and 
bring up at least some boxes of hard tack if nothing 
else, and others were sent out to forage in a quiet way. 

The officers were not so well provided for in the way 
of rations as the men, relying, as they were forced to 
do, upon the commissary, or w^hat could be purchased 
from the farmers. I managed, however, to capture 
three hogs and a steer found roaming in the woods, 
which were hastily butchered and carried into camp. 

By this time some hard tack and coffee were brought 
up, which, together with the meat cooked on spits, 
furnished a meal which in our exhausted condition 
seemed fit for a king. 

The officers' servants had secured a few eggs, and 
borrowing coffee and hard tack from the men, w^e were 
able to dine several officers whose situation was more 
deplorable than our own. 

Before night we marched into Williamsburg all in 
good shape. On the route a Confederate soldier was 



OFFICIAL REPORTS. 67 

discovered in the southern edge of the woods upon the 
northern side of which we had fought the day before. 
He was without arms and we soon had him in charge. 
He stated that his captain and a comrade were hidden 
in the woods both badly wounded; that he had left 
them to obtain food. I directed him to lead the way 
to his captain, taking several men and a stretcher with 
us : by a loud shouting we managed to find their loca- 
tion. Some of my men succeeded in climbing a steep 
hill, reaching the captain ahead of me, and to them he 
had surrendered his sword. As he had on a linen 
duster and trousers inside of draw^ers, without any 
insignia of office in sight, I asked why he sought to 
hide his rank. He replied that he had heard that we 
shot all officers captured, and this was his reason. 

I returned his sword, gave him refreshment from a 
canteen, with some hard tack, placed him on the 
stretcher, as he was too weak to walk, and the boys 
carried him more than half a mile to the road. The 
wounded enlisted man was able to walk. 

I reported and turned over to General Hooker's pro- 
vost marshal my prisoners. I think the name of the 
captain was Ward, belonging to an Alabama regiment, 
probably the 5th. Before parting he assured me of his 
sincere belief that they (the Confederates) were fight- 
ing their friends instead of their enemies, a belief we 
entertained from the beginning, but it took four years of 
hard fighting to convince a majority of the Confederate 
Army. 

Referring to the part taken by the Battery in this 
battle, with all the lights now before me obtained from 
the published reports in the Rebellion Records not acces- 



68 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

sible heretofore, I have reason to regret my failure to 
make a report at the time. 

Not being in possession of these facts until their pub- 
lication, as stated, it was impossible to make an earlier 
correction of some misleading statements made at the 
time. General Hooker handed me a copy of his ofiScial 
report while the Division was in camp near Bottom 
Bridge, and asked my opinion of that part referring to 
the Battery. I thought it well enough so far as it went, 
but said it did not do justice to the ser\dce rendered by 
the men at a critical time, when the Battery was pushed 
forward to meet the advance of the foe who were flushed 
with the advantage gained by reason of the Federal 
infantry running out of ammunition; that the position 
was considered in the nature of a "forlorn hope," the 
character of our orders, ' ' to double-shot with canister, 
and if we did not repulse to spike and surrender," 
plainly indicated; furthermore, that this check to the 
enemy enabled General Kearney to establish his lines, 
thereby contributing in no small degree to the victory 
which followed. 

My disappointment was expressed in a respectful 
manner, as to the neglect to properly mention the value 
of the services rendered by the action of the Battery. 
(For myself the reward w^as on a par with m}^ deserts.) 

To this the General replied, " I could not say more 
without making it look as if the Division was ' ske- 
daddling. ' ' ' The paragraph in the report referring to 
the Battery is this: 

* * * " While this was going on in front. Cap- 
tain Smith, by a skillful disposition of his Battery, held 
complete command of the road, which, subsequently, 



OFFICIAL REPORTS. 69 

by a few well-directed shots, was turned to good ac- 
count. ' ' 

As before stated, the Battery was placed in position 
under the General's supervision. Now note the remarks 
of his Chief of Artillery in his official report, to wit: 

" Headquarters Division Artii.i.ery, Hooker's Division, 
"Camp Near Wiewamsburg, May 7, 1862. 

" Captain : I have the honor to lay before the Gen- 
eral commanding this Division the following report as 
to the part taken by the batteries under my command 
in the battle of the 5th instant: 

' ' Being in rear of the infantry, we camped about i 
o'clock that morning, two batteries about half a mile 
this side of King's Creek and two the same distance on 
the other side. By 6 o'clock that morning w^e were en 
ro7cte, Battery "H," ist U. S. Artillery, Captain Web- 
ber, and Battery ** D," ist New York Artillery, Captain 
Osborn, being in advance; Captain Bramhall's 6th New 
York Battery about a mile in rear. 

"On arriving at the front I at once, by the General's 
direction, ordered Captain Webber to place his guns in 
battery — one on the road just at the corner of the 
felled timber which lay on its left, another some twenty 
yards in rear of this, and the other four in a field on the 
right of the road. They were immediately got into 
position, but while the first section in the road was be- 
ing unlimbered, Lieut. Chandler P. Eakin was shot down 
close by my side and Lieut. Horace L. Pike near the 
second piece, as also two of the privates. The drivers 
of the limbers taking fright, as also some of the cannon- 
eers, they fell back about a hundred yards to the rear of 
the pieces. Aided by Captain Webber and ist Sergeant 
(William A.) Harn, I tried to urge and drive them for- 
ward to their guns, but did not succeed in .getting a 
sufficient number up to open fire. I then went back to 
Captain Osborn 's four-gun Battery which had come up, 



yO A FAMOUS BAT^KRY. 

and called for volunteers to aid in manning these pieces. 
Every cannoneer at once sprang to the front, and headed 
by their officers, opened fire from four of Battery " H " 's 
guns, while at the same time Captain Webber got some 
fifteen or eighteen of his men at the other two. The 
rain was 'falling fast at the time, rendering it impossible 
to see the exact position of the enemy. Our fire was 
directed in reply to some pieces on the works about 
seven hundred yards directly in our front, and at a part 
of a field battery to our front and left, which appeared 
to be in the open, but which I have since ascertained was 
in a sunken redoubt. 

' ' Half an hour later Captain Bramhall came up and 
I immediately ordered him to take position in the field 
to the right of the other guns, which he did in a most 
soldier-like manner. The ground in this field was 
exceedingly soft and full of stumps, so that he was only 
able to get five of his guns in battery. Our men soon 
got the range and distance of the enemy, and in half 
an hour more silenced their guns entirely. They did 
not fire from the works in front except occasional shots 
again, until later in the afternoon, but about lo o'clock 
they opened again from the sunken redoubt and from 
another still farther to the left. Finding that these 
shots were enfilading some of my pieces, I moved my 
right wing forward in eschelon, and by noon we had 
again silenced them so effectually that their next effort 
to open fire aboiit an hour later was a very weak one. 

" My men had now been in the open under fire, not 
only of the guns we had silenced, but of a very severe 
fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, for some seven hours, 
and were greatly fatigued. As all had been quiet for 
some time, I rode to the rear to hasten up Captain 
Smith's 4th New York Battery, which had been kept 
back by the bad roads and the baggage wagons of other 
divisions. It was while I was absent on this duty that 
the infantry supporting me abandoned the felled timber 
on my left, leaving my batteries entirely exposed on 



OFFICIAL REPORTS. 7 1 

that flank. They (the enemy) came upon us over this 
timber, driving the men from the guns, which were 
badly mired, and having lost a large number of horses 
we were unable to bring them off. Captain Bramhall 
gallantly fought his pieces until the battery on his left 
was fairly in the hands of the enemy, when, finding 
that his men were exposed not only to the fire of the 
advancing foe but also to the return fire of his support 
on the right he ordered his men to fall back. The 
enemy keeping possession of a portion of the felled 
timber on our left prevented any attempt again to work 
or remove these pieces. 

"So soon as I got Captain Smith's Battery up I 
placed four of his guns in eschelon on a knoll to the 
right of the road, just within the woods, and loaded 
with canister, to be ready in case the enemy should 
attempt to charge down the road. This was done 
about a half an hour later. When the head of their 
column had approached to within some one hundred 
and fifty yards, we opened fire on them and effectually 
stopped their advance. Directly after this we suffered 
severely from single men of this column who had taken 
positions in ^he felled timber on the line of the road, 
four or five of the cannoneers falling at the advanced 
piece until General Kearney furnished me with a com- 
pany of sharpshooters as a support. After this charge 
was repelled the battery was not seriously engaged, 
only firing occasional shells in the direction of the 
works in front and on our left, which had again opened 
fire. At sunset, with the General's permission, I with- 
drew my two remaining batteries, leaving Captain 
Thompson, Chief of Artillery in Kearney's Division, in 
charge of the position. 

' ' I regret exceedingly to be obliged to report the loss 
of four of Battery " H " 's guns and one caisson, which 
were carried off by the enemy when they had posses- 
sion. Captain Bramhall' s guns were so deeply mired 
that they did not succeed in moving them. I have 



72 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

also to report the loss of four men killed and two offi- 
cers and eighteen enlisted men wounded, a full list of 
which is appended. The enemy carried off forty 
horses with the guns, and we have as many more left 
dead in the field, besides a number wounded and miss- 
ing. 

* ' I have reason to be satisfied with the conduct of my 
officers generally. Captain Webber, who only j oined his 
command since our arrival at Ship Point, showed great 
bravery in urging his men to the guns; Lieutenants 
Kakin and Pike fell well to the front at the first fire of 
the enemy. Captain Bramhall's conduct was that of 
an experienced officer, having his men in perfect com- 
mand, and such as fully sustained his gallantry at 
Ball's Bluff last October. He was seconded by all his 
lieutenants and men. Captain Osborn and his lieuten- 
ants in this their first engagement gave promise of mak- 
ing brave and efficient officers. I would especially men- 
tion among the enlisted men Sergeants Harn and 
(John) Doran and privates (Daniel) Barry and (Daniel) 
Conway of Battery "H," and privates (John) Shoe- 
maker and (George O.) Westcott of Battery **D," as 
having done particularly good service. Captain Os- 
born's and Captain Smith's Batteries are still in condi- 
tion for service, Captain Bramhall's lacking horses, and 
Captain Webber's both horses and pieces. >!^ >K ^ 
''(Signed) C. S. Wainwright. 

''Major and Division Chief of Artillery ^ 

To my mind it is clear that a little prejudice existed 
somewhere. The loss in killed and wounded in the 
Division artillery was twenty-four, to wit: Battery "H," 
I St U. S. Artiller}^: killed, two enlisted men; wounded, 
two officers and six enlisted men.* Battery "D," ist 
New York: killed, one enlisted man and seven wounded. 
Fourth New York Batter>- one enlisted man killed 



OFFICIAL REPORTS. 73 

and five wounded (two dying in hospital). Sixth New 
York Battery report no casualties. 

The reference made to the ' ' four or five men who fell 
at the advanced pieces, ' ' and, ' ' After the charge was 
repelled the Battery w^as not seriously engaged, only 
firing occasional shells in the direction of the w^orks in 
front and on our left, which had again opened fire," 
could not be told in a less effective manner if the writer 
intended to belittle the efforts of the men who actually 
repulsed the enemy's charge. 

The statement as to the distance, viz. : "one hundred 
and fifty yards," and the direction, "down the road," 
is at variance with my recollection, and, I believe, the 
facts. 

There was an apparent difference of opinion between 
Generals Hooker and Kearney regarding an infantry 
support to the Battery. As a matter of fact, the only 
support was that improvised by General Kearney 
alluded to before. His finding the Battery without 
infantry support may have created the belief that the 
artillerists had been driven from their guns during a 
brief cessation of cannonading when there w^as no 
enemy in sight. At such times the cannoneers were 
directed to step back into the woods to avoid exposure 
to the bullets of a few isolated sharpshooters whose fire 
could not be returned by the Battery. The absence of 
an infantry support compelled the adoption of this 
method as the next best means of protection; but at no 
time was the fire of our guns discontinued by reason of 
the close proximity of the enemy in force, nor were the 
men driven from their pieces; on the contrary, they stood 
ready to and did defend them at all times. 



74 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



General Kearney says: 

^ >K ^ " This duty was performed by officers and 
men with superior intrepidity, and enabled Major Wain- 
wright of Hooker's Division to collect his artillerists 
and reopen fire from several pieces." (The artillerists 
of this Battery were not scattered.) 

To this paragraph General Hooker replied in a sup- 
plemental report, as follows: 

" My attention has been called to that part of Briga- 
dier-General Kearney's official report of the battle of 
Williamsburg, which states, 'and enabled Major Wain- 
wright of Hooker's Division to collect his artillerists 
and reopen fire from several pieces, ' and I give it my 
positive and emphatic denial. This statement admits 
of no application to any battery of mine except Smith's, 
and I deny that any men of his were driven from their 
pieces, or that the fire from his battery was suspended 
from the proximity or fire of the enemy's skirmishers 
at any time during that day. I request that this state- 
ment may be forwarded in order that it may be placed 
on record with my official report of that battle of the 
5th instant." 

In this connection a paragraph from the official re- 
port of Gen. Grover, U. S. Army, who did not know 
the name of the battery, but, as the records show, from 
the time the 4th New York Battery took position, no 
other battery was engaged in Hooker's or Kearney's 
Divisions on that field ; hence, little doubt remains as 
to the identity. He states : 

* * * "I then withdrew that regiment entirely 
from that position to support our retreating forces at 
the point of the woods, and just in time to unmask the 
position of the enemy and expose him to a most severe 



SOME MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 75 

fire of canister from a part of a field battery thrown for- 
ward for the purpose of checking the rebel advance ; 
and I think from my own observation, that this battery 
contributed more toward sustaining our position than 
anything else that could have been brought to bear in 
that part of the field. ' ' 

The 4th New York was the only battery in Hooker's 
Division whose carriages were in park on the night of 
the battle. 

My motive for alluding to this matter at this late 
day is to render, in a measure, some justice to the men 
who nobly earned a fair share of praise so lavishly be- 
stowed in other directions. For instance : Lieut. Jos- 
eph E. Nairn, Sergt. Richard Hamblin, Corp'l J. A. 
Thompson, and privates J. B. Johnson, Robert Shaw, 
J. S. Fraser, W. H. Riker, Geo. C. Cipperly, R. C. 
Lowrie, and J. C. Charlton were all conspicuous for 
their bravery, I am writing from memory and do not 
intend to reflect upon any member of the Battery, but 
these men have ever been uppermost in my mind for 
their gallantry — while others there may be who are 
honestly entitled to honorable mention, and I feel jus- 
tified in referring to the above by name, believing there 
are none who will or can object. Many of my men 
were absent during the battle with the caissons and 
horses, and in this manner were attending to their 
duties. 

What more could have been asked of these men? 
And yet their conduct failed to attract the attention of 
the gallant Chief of Artillery by whose side they fought, 
and many fell. An impartial comparison of the facts 
will place the reputation of the Battery in a more favor- 



76 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

able light and the unprejudiced will accord to it the 
privilege of standing upon an equality with those bat- 
teries more in touch with the headquarters of the Divis- 
ion Artillery. 

Just before the Battery opened fire and while the rain 
was pouring down in torrents, Charlton, who had ridden 
from York town in the ambulance, came to me with coat 
off and sleeves rolled up and asked for the proper eleva- 
tion, saying he had loaded a gun and was ready to fire it. 
He remained with the gun while it was in action, but 
was not physically able to perform his ordinary duty 
otherwise; therefore, in consideration of his gallantry 
he was excused and allowed to ride in the ambulance 
until his health permitted his return to duty. He never 
missed a fight where the Battery was engaged. 

lyieut. Joseph K. Nairn deserved especial mention for 
his conduct; he was at his post from first to last, as was 
Serg't Richard Hamblin, who stood by his piece man- 
fully and aided in handling and firing the same. 

John B. Johnston and Robert Shaw were shot down at 
their posts, while Riker, Lowrie, and Cipperly gave their 
lives by reason of their devotion to the flag. 

Usually there is no difiiculty in finding men willing 
to assist wounded comrades to the rear and the hospital, 
but to their eternal praise be it said, not one man be- 
longing to the Battery would leave his piece to assist 
the wounded from the field. Some of them threw a 
tarpaulin down and lifted their disabled comrades out 
of the mud and placed them on it and then returned to 
their guns. 

Captain Osborn offered to, and did send some men 
from his Battery to carry back my wounded. 



SOMK MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 77 

It is a long time since the incidents above recorded 
occurred, and I am writing without the assistance of 
notes; many events doubtless have passed out of my 
mind, but at this moment another incident comes up 
from the recesses of my brain which I will relate. 

When General Kearney requested a section to be sent 
to the front, the horses were ordered up and everything 
made ready to carry out his orders. While limbering 
up, a solid shot from Fort Magruder struck a wheel- 
horse square in the barrel, passing clear through him 
and between the driver's legs. The horse pitched for- 
ward on his nose while the rider rolled over in the mud, 
turning upon his hands and feet, face upwards, with a 
look of "^who-got-the-worst-of-it " on his countenance, 
but did not utter one word. I think that driver was 
none other than the genial Gen. James S. Fraser of New 
York City. 

I had been back to order up the horses to comply 
with General Kearney's orders to move a section to the 
front, etc., and while returning met Gen. Joe. Dickin- 
son, Hooker's Assistant Adjutant-General, now an offi- 
cial of the Pension Bureau in Washington, a few rods 
in the rear of the guns. A large mud hole caused each 
to turn to the right, leaving a space of about ten or 
twelve feet between us as we passed. At this moment 
a six-pound ball struck in the mud between us, splash- 
ing the dirty water over each and ricocheting, bounded 
away to the rear. A glance and a shake of the head 
was all the comment made as we parted, neither realiz- 
ing at the time the value of that mud hole. 

The advance up the Peninsula was one continued 



78 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

Struggle to extricate the carriages from the sticky mud. 
Our Division did not meet the enemy again until after 
crossing the Chickahominy River; then began a series of 
contests, ending with the Seven Days' battles. The fa- 
tigue and exposure to the elements were very trying. 

June 30th the Battery took part in the Malvern Hills 
battle. (I must rely upon information obtained from 
those who were present, being absent myself from June 
12th to July 5th on sick leave.) 

On my rejoining the Battery at Harrison's Landing, 
Va., General Hunt, Chief of Artillery Army of the 
Potomac, stated to me verbally that two or three offi- 
cers of the U. S. Army had reported to him that during 
the engagement of June 30th the Battery had killed an 
officer and two privates of the Union troops by firing 
into our own line, and he desired me to investigate the 
matter, which I did. 

I was further informed by the General that it was re- 
ported that canister was used at a distance of eighteen 
hundred yards. I knew that there was not a man in the 
company who would be guilty of such an exhibition of 
ignorance regarding range and ammunition, but an in- 
vestigation was necessary, whicH I made, with the fol- 
lowing result: 

First, I learned that not one round of canister had 
been used since the battle of Williamsburg. This was 
very easy to figure out. The complement, it is well 
known, is fifty rounds of canister to each gun, and as 
that amount was on hand, while none had been drawn 
on requisition, it was evidently an error as to that part 
of the report. 

As to the killing of our own men, every man in the 



SOME MISSTATKMKNTS CORRECTED. 79 

company emphatically denied even the possibility of 
such a catastrophe, explaining to me the position of 
the enemy and the direction of the Battery's fire. I 
was firmly convinced at the time that a mistake had 
been made as to the name of the battery responsible 
for such gross mismanagement, and was led to believe 
that General Hunt shared my opinion, after learning 
the particulars as above related, and I had reason to 
believe at the time that the reputation of the Battery 
had not suffered by the unfortunate error, but that all 
had been satisfactorily explained. Twenty-eight years 
after the occurrence alluded to above, I read with much 
regret and surprise the following report, dated Harri- 
son's Landing, July 5th, 1862 : 

^ * * " The fight was too unequal and was ap- 
parently so considered by the New York Battery on my 
right. The conduct of this Battery I have already 
reported verbally to the General commanding the Di- 
vision and also to the Adjutant-General of the Army of 
the Potomac. I here renew that report in writing. It 
called itself the 4th New York, and was commanded by 
a Lieutenant Nairn. I believe there is the amplest 
evidence that it killed an officer and two enlisted men 
of our own. However that may be, I can assert from 
my own knowledge that if terrible at all it was only so 
to its friends. It fired quite rapidly, making consider- 
able noise and smoke, but it fired canister at a distance 
of from fifteen to eighteen hundred yards. Round 
after round of canister was fired, and so far as I could 
observe nothing else was until long after friend and foe 
had ceased firing. This irrepressible Battery threw 
several case shot or shell which struck somewhere, 
certainly much nearer our own troops than the point at 
which the hostile battery had been posted. * * * 
''(Signed) Stephen H. Weed, 

'' Captain sth U. S. Artillery:' 



8o A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

From the date of the foregoing report it is evident 
that my investigation was made subsequent to it, and 
yet not one word in regard to it is found on record in the 
published reports. The testimony is ex-parte, inasmuch 
as the explanation has been excluded, hence the charge 
stands boldly recorded in history, while the defence 
made at that time has been denied a hearing. 

I am convinced that these gentlemen of the regular 
army would have modified their opinion had they un- 
derstood the facts as herein stated. No doubt they 
were honest in their convictions, but by comparing 
notes and explaining the position held by the Battery 
at the time the alleged "wild firing" occurred, lam 
certain it could have been clearly shown that the Bat- 
tery was mistaken for some other. 

At this late day it is useless to attempt a defense be- 
yond an impartial statement of facts. General Weed 
was killed on Little Round Top July 2, 1863, an ofiicer 
of unquestioned merit and integrity, whose motive in 
this unfortunate affair was evidently intended for the 
good of the service. Of the other two ofiicers no doubt 
the same can be said. General Hunt, who appeared 
to never forget any incident of the slightest import- 
ance, has ceased to live. I therefore state what few 
facts still exist as a reasonable excuse for reopening a 
case which has been so long a matter of undisputed 
record, but carefully locked up with all other official 
papers in the War Department until Congress author- 
ized their publication. Our defense is in the shape of 
an explanation, the only course left to us. 

While located near Harrison's Landing, the Battery 
was placed on the outer line in a crude fortification 



SOME MISSTATEMENTS CORRECTED. 8 1 

within the Third Corps lines. While so posted Presi- 
dent lyincoln visited the Army of the Potomac and ex- 
amined the breastworks, coming towards our position 
without the slightest warning being given to us — dur- 
ing his tour of inspection — and when within a distance 
of less than twenty-five yards, Captain McKeever rode 
up and directed that a salute be fired, so the President 
was compelled to halt until the firing ceased, when he 
passed between the guns and limbers, while the men 
loudly cheered him. 



82 



A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 



CHAPTER VI 



Fredericksburg. 




UGUST 15th began the march 
on the retreat towards York- 
town, Va., where we arrived 
in due time, and after a de- 
lay of some days we suc- 
ceeded in getting transpor- 
tation for the carriages to 
Alexandria, Va. ; the horses 
were shipped two or three 
days later. We did not 
"" "^ y reach Alexandria in time to 

participate in Pope's cam- 
paign, at the front, but rendered service in and around 
the defenses. 

The Second Battle of Bull Run, like the First, was 
disastrous to the Union Army, and impartial history 
has verified the bitter accusations of the rank and file at 
the time, that their defeat was due to the incapacity of 
those to whom was entrusted the management and 
maneuvering of that splendid body of men known as 
The Army of the Potomac. These swarthy veterans of 
the innumerable fights, skirmishes and marches of the 
Peninsula deserved a better fate than met them at Ma- 
nassas. 



FRKDERICKSBURG. 83 

None that died in this ill-starred campaign was more 
generally mourned than gallant, dashing Phil. Kearny, 
the Murat of our Army, the idol of the soldiers who 
served under him. 

Killed just at dusk on the field of Chantilly, his body 
was sent into our lines under Confederate escort with 
instructions to be delivered to General Hooker. As 
the ambulance which contained all that was mortal of 
the bravest man that ever drew a sword passed Fort 
Ward with its blind-folded escort in gray, many an old 
soldier, hardened to death and wounds in every shape, 
shed tears, and when General Hooker received the re- 
mains of his gallant friend whom he should never look 
upon again with the exultant light of battle in his 
dauntless eyes, he could only say between his sobs, 
* ' such is the curse of war. ' ' 

There was another soldier laid low at Manassas, 
though not to die, fit to be named on the same page 
with brave Phil. Kearny. He wore neither stars nor 
bars, the modest chevrons of a corporal denoting but 
one remove from the rank of private. He was then un- 
known outside of his own company, and when an ex- 
ploding shell crushed his legs into a shapeless mass of 
flesh and bones it was only one enlisted man less in the 
regiment, one of the numerous ''killed, wounded and 
missing" reported by the papers in round numbers. 
But when this maimed youth's vigorous tenacity and 
ambition enabled him to survive the surgeon's knife, to 
make his way through the crowded walks of life to that 
place in the front ranks accorded only to acknowledged 
force and ability, then the world came to know that the 
mangled boy carried off the bloody field of Bull Run 



84 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



was one whom his country delights to honor, and who 
is proud to bear the title he bore then — Corporal 
Tanner. 

Hooker's Division, then commanded by General D. 
E. Sickles, and to which the Battery was still at- 
tached, was selected to remain near Washington during 
the Antietam campaign. I was designated as Chief of 
Division Artillery by virtue of the date of my commis- 
sion. My duties were subsequently enlarged by Gen- 
eral Barry, who directed that the field batteries lo- 
cated between, and at, Arlington and Alexandria, Va., 
should be subject to my control for inspection, etc. I 
relinquished the executive control of the Battery to 
Ivieut. J. E. Nairn, but remained with it for the time 
being. 

On a certain date about midnight. General Sickles 
received information of an intended raid by Stuart's 
cavalry on Falls Church, Va., where two small forts 
had been erected, and where the 120th New York Vol- 
unteers, Col. G. H. Sharpe, which had just entered 
the service, were stationed. 

I was directed to send a battery at once. I took my 
own to save time,' and went myself, because I w^as per- 
sonally familiar with the locality. This knowledge was 
essential on account of the extreme darkness of the 
night. We reached Fort Buffalo between 2 and 3 
o'clock A. M., and the guns were soon in position; 
then Colonel Sharpe desired me to visit the outposts 
with him, which I did. 

The infantry had been well placed and everything 
put in shape to make the reception warm in case of an 



frbdericksburG. 85 

attack. The Colonel was ver}^ active and did not pro- 
pose to give me an opportunity for sleep, as he com- 
pelled me by his presence to remain on the qui vive. 

The enemy did not put in an appearance, however, 
to our great relief. 

The Division was reviewed by President Lincoln and 
the members of his Cabinet, while occupying the 
defenses of Washington. Again the Battery had the 
honor of firing the salute for the President. 

On this occasion I commanded at least ten batteries, 
passing before the President in review, battery front. 
They made a splendid appearance. The President 
instructed me to say to the battery commanders that 
he was very much gratified with the fine, soldierly 
appearance of the artillery, shaking me by the hand 
warmly while speaking. 

At General Sickles' s suggestion the artillery was 
notified in special orders as to the President's compli- 
mentary and flattering comments. 

Soon aftei: this, November 4th, the Division moved 
out to Manassas Junction, acting as a provisional com- 
mand, charged with the responsibility of putting and 
keeping in order the railroad, opening as it were, a line 
of communication by which the Army of the Potomac 
could be furnished with supplies at a point where its 
line of march intercepted that of the railroad. The 
Battery was pushed out as far as Catlett Station, where 
the bridge had been destroyed, it having been partly 
burned by the enemy. This route was kept open until 
after the Army had passed on its way to Falmouth, Va. 
In the winter of '62 Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, after 
being relieved of command, returned to Washington at 
this time on one of the trains over this road. 



86 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

Having performed the duty assigned it, the Division 
took up the line of march to Falmouth, Va. At Wolf 
Run Shoals General Patterson shot himself, and the 
Battery was detailed to fire a blank at intervals of 
thirty minutes between sunrise and sunset, as a token 
of respect to his memory and rank. Arriving at Fal- 
mouth, we rejoined the Corps, from which we had been 
separated since before the battle of Antietam. 

Preceding the battle of Fredricksburg the following 
order was received: 

"Headquarters Army op the Potomac, 

" December 8, 1862. 
"Major-General Hooker, 

' ' Comma7idi7ig Center Gra7id Division. 
" General : The commanding General directs that 
you will please have issued to each of the following 
named battery commanders the accompanying order, 
and take the necessar}^ steps to have it executed: Lieut. 
Hazlett, Battery "D," 5th U. S. Artillerj^ Griffin's 
Division; Captain Smith, 4th New York Battery, Sick- 
les' s Division. 

" Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
" (Signed.) John G. Parkkr, 

* ' Chief of Staff. 
(Sub-inclosure.) 

** The Commandhig Officer, 

' 'Battery . 

" Sir: You will report in person to Lieut. -Colonel 
Hayes, commanding artillery, at the office of Brigadier- 
General Hunt, Chief of Artillery, at 10 A. m., Wednes- 
day, the loth instant. You will obey, until you are 
ordered to rejoin your Division, such orders as you may 
receive from Lieut. -Colonel Hayes, or Brigadier- Gen- 
eral Hunt, Chief of Staff." 



FRKDE^RICKSBURG. 87 

Reporting as above ordered, my instructions were to 
lead certain batteries to a point designated, between 
dark and daylight, on a certain date ; said batteries 
were then assigned to localities commanded by either 
Colonels Tompkins or Hayes. Having disposed of all 
the Division artillery, being Chief of the same, I re- 
quested permission to re-assume command of the 4th 
New York Battery, which was granted. 

This Battery was posted on Falmouth Heights, di- 
rectly opposite the Confederate works above and west 
of Fredericksburg, and south from our position about 
eighteen hundred or two thousand yards. It was ex- 
pected that a pontoon bridge would be thrown over 
the river near this point, by which means troops could 
be placed in the town. 

Early on the morning of December 12, 1862, about 
3 o'clock A. M., I discovered, by seeing them march 
past street lamps, the flickering light of w^hich betrayed 
their movements, that the enemy w^ere moving troops 
in the edge of the town near the river bank. I con- 
cluded that they were placing sharpshooters in the cel- 
lars under the buildings on the bank of the river (to 
pick off our artillerists, I thought at the time). 

General Hunt, who appeared to be in the saddle all 
the time, and constantly on the move, visited us sev- 
eral times during the night, and I related to him what 
I had seen. It is my impression that he informed me 
that by a mutual agreement between the Provost Mar- 
shals of the Army of the Potomac and that of Northern 
Virginia, troops would not occupy the town ; be this 
as it may, when our engineers began to construct a 
bridge (known in history as the Upper Bridge) about 



88 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

6 A. M., they were greeted with a few volleys fired by 
men hidden in the cellars on the opposite bank. It 
soon became evident that these Confederate marksmen 
would have to be routed before a bridge could be put 
down at this point. 

After some delay it was arranged that the batteries, 
which were in position on the north bank, were to open 
and dislodge, if possible, the rebel infantry. Shortly 
after 8 a. m. a shower of shot and shell was poured 
into the different structures wherein the enemy lurked, 
then our firing ceased and the engineers tried to work; 
but the moment they did so, popping was resumed on 
the other side. This firing first from one side and then 
the other was continued at intervals until about 3 
o'clock p. M., when volunteers were called for from the 
infantry to cross over in pontoon boats and drive the 
rebels from their holes. 

Nearly one hundred men from the 7th Michigan 
promptly offered their services. While the boats were 
being loaded the firing increased, the bullets falling in 
the water near the boats like hail, but there was no 
flinching — the men who had willingly undertaken this 
task had counted the cost and fearlessly placed their lives 
on the altar of their country. 

I thought, while gazing on this scene, that it would 
rank with any deed of daring recorded in the pages of 
history. Think of it ! less than one hundred men ex- 
posed in three open, clumsy boats, propelled with oars 
or paddles, which made but slow progress, in the face of 
a well-concealed and active foe, having no knowledge 
of the numbers they were about to encounter, with lit- 
tle hope of reinforcements until the boats could return 



F'RKDERICKSBURG. 89 

— and all for thirteen dollars per month ! No, there 
must have been something else — loyalty and true pa- 
triotism overcame all thought of self, and without the 
slightest ostentation they quietly went forward ready to 
meet any fate that might await them. 

I shall never forget my sensations during the few 
moments required to cross the river. The first man to 
jump ashore from the boats was a lieutenant, who was 
hit before striking the ground. He crawled back into 
the boat and subsequently recrossed the river; as soon 
as a landing was made the men were hurried forward, 
when a running fight through the streets ensued; more 
men were rowed across, and finally the Rebel infantry 
were driven back and the engineers soon completed the 
bridge, over which a large force marched on the night 
of the 1 2th. 

During the nth and 12th a fitful cannonade was di- 
rected upon the town, with the intention of burning it 
down. The Battery was employed after the completion 
of the bridge in drawing the fire from the works oppo- 
site to relieve the troops while crossing. In this man- 
ner the assistance rendered was valuable and greatly 
aided the infantry, by covering them while reinforcing 
their comrades, who were on the other side. 

The ofiicial report of this battle as to the participa- 
tion of the Battery will furnish further particulars: 

** Camp near Fredericksburg, December 17, 1862. 

* * Colonel : I have the honor to submit the follow- 
ing report of the participation of the 4th New York 
Battery under my command, in the late bombardment 
of Fredericksburg. In obedience to orders from Head- 
quarters Centre Grand Division, dated December 10, 



QO A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

1862, I reported to you, and was by you ordered to 
take command of the 4th New York Battery which had 
been under the executive command of ist Lieut. J. E. 
Nairn since November 4th, I at that time assuming- 
command of the Division Artillery, in compliance with 
orders from headquarters, Sickles' s Division, of that 
date. Position was assigned me by you on the north 
bank of the river about five hundred yards west of the 
Lacey house, with instructions to obey all orders from 
General Hunt, Colonel Tompkins and yourself. I placed 
my guns in battery about 8:30 o'clock on the evening 
of the nth, and set my men at work throwing up 
small breastworks around each gun as a protection 
against the enemy's sharpshooters. About 3 A. M. on 
the morning of the 12th, General Hunt ordered me to 
fire upon the town, when the battery adjoining my left 
C'K," ist U. S. Artillery, Captain Graham), opened. 
In obedience to this order I opened fire about 5 A. m. , 
(or soon after the enemy's sharpshooters opened fire 
upon the engineers w^ho were constructing pontoon 
bridges). I kept up a rapid fire during the forenoon, 
damaging the vents of five guns, which became enlarged. 
On the 13th the enemy's batteries opened on the town 
and our men. I undertook to draw their fire by reply- 
ing from my Battery, and several times during the day 
succeeded in checking the fire from some of their bat- 
teries on our right and in front of my position. During 
the 14th and 15th my orders were to fire upon the bat- 
teries in front w^henever they opened upon our reinforce- 
ments or the town, which order I obeyed until ordered 
by General Hunt not to fire under any circumstances. 
Again during the night of the 15th I received orders 
from Colonel Tompkins to be on the alert to cover the 
retreat of our army; but as the enemy made no attempt 
to interfere I had no occasion to fire. The ammunition 
furnished me by Captain Young, ordnance officer of 
Sickles' s Division, was of an inferior quality. The con- 
cussion projectiles (Parrott) were used as solid shot; the 



FRKDKRICKSBURG. 9 1 

case shot worked poorly; about one in twelve exploded. 
The cartridges were composed of different kinds of 
powder or of various quantities, which made accuracy 
almost impossible. During the five days' firing I ex- 
pended, all told, about sixteen hundred rounds of case 
shot and shell. I have no casualties to report. The 
non-commissioned ofiicers and privates of the Batter}^ 
conducted themselves admirably, obeying all orders with 
promptness. Lieutenants Nairn, Scott, McLean and 
Smith, by their attention to duty, contributed greatly 
to render the fire of the Battery effective. Lieutenant 
Nairn made several splendid shots, sighting the pieces 
himself. The officers have my warmest thanks. 
** I am sir, very respectfully, 

' ' Your obedient servant, 
"(Signed.) James K. Smith." 

''Lieutenant- Colonel WiIvLiam Hayes, 

" Conmiand Reserve Artillery. ''^ 

The vents were so much enlarged that vent tenders 
were compelled to cover them with the hand instead of 
the thumb, and not being able to use a friction-primer 
by reason of this enlargement, Wi^ papier mache-ox slow 
match was substituted; by this means fire w^as continued 
until dark, when General Hunt sent from general head- 
quarters of the army a competent mechanic, for whose 
convenience a tent was put up in rear, which covered the 
light necessary to complete this work, and into which 
one gun was run at a time until the entire six were re- 
vented with copper vents, which did not again fail us. 

During the nth the enemy's pickets were stationed 
across the river with stacked arms; no attempt was 
made to molest them and they disappeared during the 
night. 

After four days and nights constantly exposed to the 



g^ A FAMOUS BATTE^RY. 

inclemency of the weather, which was bitter cold, the 
ground covered with snow, no shelter or fire, defeat 
staring us in the face, every charge made by the infantry 
on the heights within our full view greatly adding to 
the mental strain already stretched to its fullest tension, 
we received the command to fall back, which, although 
not unexpected, was a great relief, and gladly we re- 
turned to camp to recuperate and prepare for the famous 
"mud march." 



AFTKR FRECERICKSBURG. 



93 



CHAPTER VII 

After Fredericksburg . A Summer March through 
Maryland. 




ATE appeared to be against 
General Burnside, at least 
the elements were, but the 
grand old army did n't mind 
it; defeat and disappointment 
could not discourage it. 
Therefore, when the order to 
march came again, promptly 
moved forward the same old Corps, the same old bronzed 
faces. I do not remember a single instance while the 
army was marching towards the enemy, where the morale 
was not most excellent; jokes were cracked and songs 
sung, which seemed more suited to a picnic excursion. 
An army composed of brain and muscle and minds 
capable of reasoning stood behind muskets; an army of 
intelligence and grit, it was certain of success in the 
end. The rank and file understood the principles in- 
volved and aimed to perform the w^ork appertaining to 
their duties without regard to who might be in com- 
mand. Do not understand me as saying that they had 
no preference in this respect; such was not the truth; 



94 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

they simply disregarded their personal likes and dis- 
likes and yielded loyal allegiance to all superiors. To 
conquer was the desire of all, and to this end their best 
energies were directed. The grandest army that ever 
trod the earth ! — The Federal army of '6i-'65. 

Again the Battery left camp, January 20th, 1863, 
and for four days floundered and struggled in the mud 
while marching to the United States Ford and getting 
back to camp. 

By direction of General Hunt I had control of twelve 
light batteries which were marched to a certain point, 
where I met and turned over to Colonel De Russey 
nine batteries. With the other three I was instructed 
to move to our right and reach the United States Ford. 
At twilight we entered a dense pine woods through 
which there was a narrow road leading to the river. 
Scarcely five hundred yards from the opening we 
encountered a pontoon train heading in the opposite 
direction and which was firmly mired in the mud; the 
colored drivers were either stupidly drunk or too wildly 
excited to know what they were domg. Ever5^thing 
was in confusion. My orders were to reach United 
States Ford; one Battery (my own, 4th New York) cut 
its way around the train and camped as near the Ford 
as prudence allowed. The other two did not make it. 

The infantry were compelled to construct a corduroy 
road before the Battery could retreat. Finally, after 
five days (20th to 24th inclusive) hard w^ork for men 
and horses, for the second time during this winter we 
returned to our old camping ground. During the bal- 
ance of the winter the Batter>^ w^as subjected to much 
harsh treatment and many disorganizing changes and 



AFTKR FREDKRICKSBURG. 95 

incidental disagreements that seriously impaired its 
efficiency. In consequence of various transfers, resig- 
nations, etc., I became ranking artillery officer of the 
Third Corps, and, in accordance with the Army regula- 
tions. Chief of the Corps Artillery. This compelled me to 
relinquish control of and sever my connection with the 
Battery. This was followed by the resignation of 
Lieut. J. K. Nairn, and the command of the Battery 
devolved upon Lieut. C. H. Scott, an officer totally 
unfitted for the position. He was ordered before a 
Board of Examining Officers, and it resulted in his 
discharge by order of the Secretary of War. Lieut. 
Wm. T. McLean, the next officer in command, appeared 
before the same Board and passed a creditable examina- 
tion. Lieut. K. S. Smith, who had been promoted, 
together with McLean, vice Nairn and Scott, was trans- 
ferred to Battery "K," 4th U. S. Artillery, and a Lieu- 
tenant Goodman, 6th New Jersej^ Infantry (with whom 
Lieutenant Smith traded off) transferred from Battery 
"K" to the 4th New York. 

Before this took place, General Birney, commanding 
ist Division, made application for another battery — 
having but three w^hile the 2d Division had five. I 
was directed to send one battery from the 2d Division 
to report to him. The order was issued to General 
Berry, commanding 2d Division, who referred the mat- 
ter to Captain Osborne, Chief of Division Artillery, 
and he designated the 4th New York as the Battery to 
be transferred. This created a very ill feeling on the 
part of the men. Kxcept Battery "H," ist U. S. 
Artillery, the Batter}^ had been attached to the Division 
longer than any other serving with it, and the men 



96 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

believed they were being discriminated against and 
refused to move from the park when ordered. 

This being reported to Headquarters Third Corps, 
General Berry was notified, who declared that the Bat- 
tery no longer belonged to his command. Then Gen- 
eral Birney was notified, and he detailed the 40th New 
York Volunteers with instructions to move or bury the 
Battery. 

Under these circumstances a transfer was made with- 
out further trouble, but much of the interest and pride 
usuall}^ felt by those who had shared hardships and dan- 
gers together was, to a certain extent, diminished and 
their ardor dampened. The men were despondent and 
became lax in their duties, not without some excuse. 
Finally, a Lieutenant Barstow of the U. S. Artillery was 
assigned to the command, when matters went from 
bad to worse, culminating in unwise and ill-advised 
promotions. 

If I had remained blind to all that concerned my 
old Battery, my personal interests would have been 
benefited, my position as chief of Corps Artillery, with 
ten batteries to control, and a good prospect for the 
creation of a brigade with the usual staff, making it 
one of the most desirable commands in the army. I had 
already submitted a proposition to General Hooker, 
then commanding the Army of the Potomac, with a 
view to organizing the Corps artillery as above stated, 
and was instructed to again submit my proposition 
after the then -pending movement (Chancellorsville). 

This was afterwards carried out by Captain Ran- 
dolph, my successor, and the artillery so brigaded. 

My position was all I could desire, but should have 



AFTKR FRKDKRICKSBURG. 97 

had a higher rank to correspond with my command. 
As a [ Captain I controlled ten field batteries, while 
the date of my commission deprived me of the privilege 
of assuming command of my own Battery, under army 
regulations. 

After the assignment of a United States officer to the 
command of the Battery, and the consequent demoral- 
ization, I determined to resign my commission and get 
reappointed, by which proceeding the question of date 
of rank would be settled, and I could return to my origi- 
nal command. Therefore, on the 26th day of April, 1863, 
I tendered my resignation, and received an honorable 
discharge. Having provided myself with proper let- 
ters to present to the Governor of the State of New 
York, I returned from the army to Washington, D. C, 
and on May 4th presented my letters in person to Gov- 
ernor Seymour at Albany, N. Y., who accorded me an 
audience. 

After explaining my reasons for resigning and again 
applying for a re-appointment to the same position, I 
was soon in possession of a new commission bearing 
date of issue. 

When I returned to Washington, D. C, Chancellors- 
ville battle had been fought, and the Army of the Po- 
tomac had returned for the third time to its camps near 
Falmouth, Va. The Battery marched during this series 
of battles with the First Division, and held several posi- 
tions of importance, but was not called on to open fire. 

Early in June I reported for muster at Headquarters 
Third Corps, but General Sickles being absent, sick, it 
was decided to defer it until his return. 

The Corps broke up camp on the nth, and began 



98 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

the campaign of Gettysburg. I offered my services as 
volunteer aid to General Birney, commanding the 
Corps, and so acted until v^e reached Brandy Station, 
Va., where I took the cars for Washington, D. C. 

I soon found General Sickles, who directed me to be 
on the lookout, as he intended to start for the front 
when he could reach the army by rail, and that by so 
doing I could go with him. On June 27th he started by 
special train on the B. & O., from Relay House. We 
made slow progress owing to a report that ' ' Guerrillas ' ' 
were raiding the country through which we were pass- 
ing, but beyond this we had no trouble, and reached 
Frederick, Md., about i o'clock next morning. 

Besides General Sickles and aids, there were on this 
train General Marston and Colonel Hardie, the latter 
bearer of despatches relieving General Hooker of the 
command of the Army of the Potomac. (We were not 
informed of the nature of his business, however.) 

We found the Corps halted east of Frederick City 
where we rejoined it, and my muster was made without 
delay, and again I was at the head of the Battery. A 
hasty inspection put me in possession of its condition, 
which was more favorable than I had dared to hope. 

The march from here through upper Maryland was 
the most delightful we had made during our service. 
It was harvest time; the weather was superb, and the 
roads fairly good through a beautiful country which 
had tasted but little of the destructive havoc of war. 
The old familiar sights of great fields of yellow wheat, 
orchards loaded with fruit, wide, green stretches of pas- 
ture and meadow-land, snug farm-houses and huge red- 
roofed barns, made it seem a pleasure trip after the 



A MARCH THROUGH MARYLAND. 99 

hardships of the campaign in Virginia. Then the boys 
very soon discovered that there was a very fair supply 
of most excellent apple-jack along the route, as this 
was considered by the farmers a prime necessity in the 
arduous labors of harvest. It is true it was a little 
difficult to get at, as these rural citizens had doubtless 
heard of the partiality ever shown by soldiers towards 
this famous Southern commodity. It was usually hid- 
den in various out-of-the-way places about the farms, 
and it required much ingenious diplomacy to ascertain 
the whereabouts of the concealed treasure. When all 
else failed, a party of thirsty soldiers would frequently 
march into a barn-yard, attach a couple of fine horses 
and coolly inform the alarmed farmer that they were 
required for the Government service. Upon his remon- 
strating, the leader of the gang would take him to one 
side and suggest that, as he appeared to be a decent 
kind of a fellow they w^ould n't be hard on him, and if 
he had anything like apple-jack, or peach-brandy, or 
even plain whiskey about the place, they would com- 
promise the matter. They always got it. 

Another source of constant enjoyment was the Third 
Corps Band, which appeared to be ubiquitous. They 
were always in the lead on the march, and yet when 
passing through the numerous villages on our route 
we would find them located on some balcony or front 
porch or grouped around the town pump discoursing 
lively martial airs as we gayly passed by with banners 
flying and singing lo3^al songs, while ladies and chil- 
dren would, sometimes, be waving handkerchiefs from 
their door yards. 

It was, indeed, a gay and jolly march, such as sel- 



lOO A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

dom fell to our lot, but to many brave boys it was a 
march to death, for its end was the bloodiest field of 
the war — Gettysburg, and but two days away. 

We reached Emmittsburg, Md., in the afternoon of 
July ist., and after a short halt the Corps moved for- 
ward towards the Pennsylvania line, while my Battery 
and Winslow's were left here with Burling' s and De 
Trobriand's Brigades to guard the Hagerstown road. 

Gen. Burling' s official report refers to this detail as 

follows : 

^ * * "I was ordered by Maj. HamHn, Assist- 
ant Adjutant-General, Second Division, Third Army 
Corps, to remain at this place .with the Brigade and 
Smith's Battery to guard the Hagerstown road. In 
conjunction with Colonel Sewell, of the 5th New Jer- 
sey Volunteers, and Captain Smith of the Battery, I 
immediately made such disposition of my command as 
I deemed advisable to accomplish this object. * * Hj 
"(Signed) Burling, 

* ' Co7?imandmg Brigade. ' ' 

About 1.30 on the morning of the fateful 2d of July, 
orders were received from Gen. Meade to re-join the 
Corps at Gettysburg, eleven miles away. 

It required some time to withdraw the pickets, there- 
fore it was 4 A. M. before we were ready to move for- 
ward, rejoining the Corps and Division at 9 o'clock A. m. 



GETTYSBURG. 



lOI 



CHAPTER VIII 



Gettysburg, 




S we approached the ground 
between the two armies 
in the vicinity of the 
" peach orchard, " I no- 
ticed that the fences 
had been cleared away 
and all preparations 
made that usually pre- 
ceded a battle ; even 
then the pickets and skirmishers were uneasy and kept 
up a desultor>^ fire, little puffs of thin blue smoke dot- 
ting the plain before us, indicating quite distinctly the 
respective lines of the two greatest armies on earth, at 
this hour. 

Before reaching the ' ' orchard ' ' an aide came towards 
us from the direction of the ' ' wheat-field ' ' riding at 
great speed and waving a white handkerchief to attract 
our attention. A halt was made in consequence and we 
then learned that our position was equi-distant between 
the two lines and somewhat critical. 

No time w^as lost in leaving the Emmitsburg road, 
moving due east as far as the ''wheat-field," into which 
the Battery was taken and parked. About i o'clock 
p. M. Capt. G. K. Randolph, Chief of Third Corps 



102 A I^AMOUS BATTERY. 

Artillery, piloted the Battery to *' Devil's Den," point- 
ing to a steep and rocky ridge running north and south, 
indicating that my guns were to find location thereon. 

From the termination of the ridge at the ' ' Den ' ' to 
the woods dividing the ' ' wheatfield ' ' from the valley 
of Plum Run, the distance was not more than fifty 
yards. Here I could not place more than four guns on 
the crest. In rear of this ridge the ground descended 
sharply to the east, leaving no room for the limbers on 
the crest, therefore they were posted as near to the guns 
as the nature of the declivity permitted. The remain- 
ing two guns were stationed in rear about seventy-five 
yards, where they could be used to advantage, covering 
the Plum Run Gorge passage, which lies to the south 
of and below the crest. 

The four guns could not be depressed to reach troops 
moving through the gorge, hence the necessity for this 
arrangement. 

Two regiments of infantry, viz : the 4th Maine, Col- 
onel Walker, and the 124th New York, Colonel Ellis, 
were formed so as to cover the open space between 
the woods and base of Round Top ; the former being 
on the extreme left, while the latter, the ' ' Orange Blos- 
soms," were directly in rear of the four guns. 

I felt anxious about our left flank and made an effort 
to get some infantry posted in the woods along the base 
of Round Top, but as the enemy gave little time for re- 
flection, my attention was occupied in looking after the 
Battery, and replying to the concentrated fire of a num- 
ber of guns. 

This artillery battle began about 2 p. m., and was a 
trial of skill between artillerists. The accuracy of the 



GETTYSBURG. 103 

enemy's aim was astonishing, while that of the gunners 
of the Battery may be judged from the reports of those 
who have the best right to know. (See Confederate 
reports.) 

About 3.30 o'clock the enemy's infantry appeared in 
line of battle, moving directly upon the Round Tops. 
The four guns were now used to oppose and cripple this 
attack and check it as far as possible. I never saw the 
men do better work ; every shot told ; the pieces were 
discharged as rapidly as they could be with regard to 
effectiveness, while the conduct of the men was superb ; 
but when the enemy approached to within three hun- 
dred yards of our position the many obstacles in our 
front afforded him excellent protection for his sharp- 
shooters, who soon had our guns under control. At 
the fence at the base of the slope, which gently declines 
to the west in front, they make a short halt, then press 
on ; w^e use canister without sponging, but are firing at 
a disadvantage for the reason just stated, to save the 
guns. Colonel Ellis and Colonel Walker now advance 
their commands, and, dashing through the Battery, 
charge upon the Confederates with great impetuosity. 
My fire is withheld until the front is uncovered by the 
falling back of the * * Orange Blossoms ' ' and 4th Maine ; 
again the artillerists spring to their guns ; the 99th 
Pennsylvania Volunteers move along a point in rear of 
the guns, and boldly take position above the Den. 

The 4th Maine on the left, with a line across the 
mouth of the gorge, have been forced back; the situa- 
tion is most critical; I ask for assistance. General Hunt 
has told me how important it is to hold this position to the 
last. The enemy are pressing on the left, while those 



I04 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

in front and to the right-front are advancing skirmish- 
ers. My guns are again in danger of capture. The 
brave ''Orange Blossoms" have been withdrawn; the 
4th Maine and 99th Penns^dvania have retired. In 
reply to my earnest plea for help I have been asked to 
hold on for thirty minutes, when succor would surely 
come; if the guns are to be saved it must be done now 
at the risk of exposing our weakness. What is best to 
do under the circumstances becomes a momentous 
question. 

I finally determine to consume the time it will take to 
remove the guns in fighting them, and thus trade them 
for time, if it becomes necessary. The men are instruct- 
ed to remove all implements if they are compelled to 
fall back, so that our pieces ma}^ not be turned against 
us. The bold front presented by the Battery cause the 
enemy to approach it gingerly; but alas ! we are flanked 
by the enemy moving through the gorge by the right 
flank; our four pieces are now useless, but the two in 
rear can be of service. I run with all the speed in me 
and open fire with these two guns on the troops coming 
through the gorge. 

The enemy are taken by surprise; their battle flag 
drops three different times from the effect of our canis- 
ter. Thrice their line wavers and seeks shelter in the 
woods, but in a moment they return in a solid mass. 
The 6th New Jersey moves forrv^ard from the ' * wheat- 
field ' ' across my front, cutting off the fire of the two 
pieces; then the 40th New York passes through the park 
of the horses and carriages stationed near the position 
occupied by the two guns, and attacks Benning's Bri- 
gade. 



gbttyseurg. 105 

I now conclude to save the balance of the Battery, if 
possible, and have the fence lowered that it may pass 
through to the "wheat-field," but still hold it ready to 
make a further sacrifice, if deemed necessary. The 
four guns remain suspended, as it were, on the crest be- 
tween the lines. I appeal to Colonel Egan to save 
them; he promises, but fails to fulfill his promise; the 
odds are too great against us. 

The men have faced every danger; two brave men 
can do more than one — the one is on our side, the 
two are opposed to us. Finally the Federal infantry 
fall back. I have sent the carriages into the woods, 
and closely watch the enemy's movements. 

At this time the report of Hazlett's guns from the 
summit of Little Round Top announces the arrival of 
assistance, none too soon, for Benning's Brigade, after 
pushing through the gorge, is about to cross the * * Val- 
ley of Death ' ' to take possession of the goal for which 
he has been fighting for more than two hours. The 
race is a sharp one; the Federals win it. The two guns 
are run through the woods, and seeing Winslow's Bat- 
tery in position, I take position on his right just as he 
limbers up and retires. 

Looking for the cause I perceive the enemy swarming 
from the woods and I lose no time in falling back. 

Before the crest was abandoned, one of the four guns, 
having been disabled, was withdrawn; this left but three 
and these were taken ofi" by the enemy after dark. 

I mistook the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' for the 4th Maine, 
who were in our immediate rear when the artillery duel 
opened, and in my ofl&cial report make no mention of 



I06 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

this gallant regiment whose daring charge rendered 
such valuable and timely assistance. 

At no time during the day had we more than tw^o regi- 
ments of foot at one time engaged in defending this im- 
portant point. The Battery was on the ground from 2 
until 6 o'clock p.m. 

By a careful comparison of the official reports here- 
with, it is shown that the impression of many of the 
Confederates is erroneous as to Little Round Top's oc- 
cupation by Federals, and that they suffered from the 
fire of guns on its summit while advancing to the as- 
sault of Devil's Den. If this was true, then those who 
were on the line at the Den must have known it, as the 
fire from Little Round Top would have to pass over 
their heads. 

In conclusion, let me say in further explanation of the 
loss of my guns, that three times during the day I could 
have withdrawn them without giving grounds for cen- 
sure. It has usually been considered proper to retire a 
field battery when its infantry support falls back. Had 
this course been adopted the guns might have been 
saved, but the delay imposed upon the enemy w^as of in- 
estimable value to the Federal army and more than ofi"- 
set the loss of the pieces. For instance, forty minutes 
elapsed between the departure of the infantry from the 
ridge and the arrival of the two regiments at the posi- 
tion in rear of it. Every one of those minutes con- 
tained sixty seconds and into each second was crowded 
a lifetime. 

It had not occurred to me to save the Battery; in- 
deed, I could not see how I was to do it without aban- 
doning the defense of the valley and Little Round Top, 



GETTYSBURG. I07 

but the arrival of the 6th New Jersey and the 40th New 
York Volunteers changed the situation somewhat. I 
felt that the responsibility was, at least, divided. 

During the interval which occurred between the time 
we left the ridge and the coming of the two regiments, 
it appeared to me that the defense of the key to the 
Federal position depended upon the efforts of the men 
who were handling the two guns, and I now believe, 
laboring as I doubtless was, under the excitement and 
strain brought about by the severe ordeal and, may I 
say, peculiar features of the conflict, that my mental 
faculties were not in condition to take under considera- 
tion the probabilities and advisability of withdrawing 
from the contest while a gun could be discharged. 

After the abandonment of the crest I felt personally 
responsible for the defense of the position, until Colonel 
Egan and Lieutenant-Colonel Gilkison with their regi- 
ments, entered the valley. (I do not intend to reflect 
upon General Ward and the balance of his brigade, but 
they were engaged more to the right and in the woods 
— hence the idea that further assistance from this quar- 
ter was impossible). This seemed to give me time for 
thought, and when the report of Hazlett's guns from 
Little Round Top proclaimed in thunder tones that our 
friends were near, every sound in the air appeared to 
ring with the welcome tidings that the victory was ours; 
that a new lease of life, so to speak, was granted to us. 
Under such a state of affairs may I not be pardoned for 
retiring the men who had so nobly remained at their 
posts and who had not taken advantage of the many 
opportunities they had had to fall back during the day, 
without incurring the least blame for so doing. The 



lo8 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

wounded who had not been sent to the field-hospital 
were placed upon the caissons and limbers, and every 
care taken to avoid confusion. The Battery was re- 
tired at a slow walk with the guns in rear. 

I do not wish to be understood as reflecting on the 
infantry. Braver men never stood shoulder to shoulder 
with their faces to the foe. The peculiar features of 
this conflict and the nature of the ground made it pos- 
sible, nay, quite possible, for the enemy to suppose 
that the woods and many large boulders concealed a 
hidden foe; hence, it was not strange that the Battery 
was permitted to stand as long as it did, but while our 
infantry were in sight they drew the fire of a force far 
superior as to numbers; besides they were more exposed 
than the few men who managed the pieces. 

After the ridge was under control of the Confederate 
infantry, the Federal infantry, which had formed the 
defense to this part of the line, instead of retiring in 
the direction of Little Round Top, naturally fell back 
into the woods occupied by the balance of Ward's 
Brigade. 

Lieutenant- Colonel Gilkison moved his regiment 
through the woods from the * * wheat-field ' ' in rear of 
the brigade and without seeing it. I venture to say 
that, inasmuch as Lieutenant - Colonel Gilkison has 
not been mentioned in any of the general reports for 
the gallant and timely aid rendered, the presence of 
his regiment was unknown to the brigade commander. 
Colonel Egan was guided by Captain Bristow of Gen- 
eral Birney's staff". The troops that were stationed on 
the first line were relieved, after the charge had been 
repulsed and their ammunition expended, while those 



GETTYSBURG. IO9 

two regiments that came last upon the scene were not; 
they fell back before the advance of Benning's Brigade. 

No blame can attach to any troops that fought in the 
Valley of Plum Run July 2d; the fault lay in their 
weakness, nothing else. 

Colonel Walker misunderstood me, if I am to judge 
by the tone of his letter published in 1886. I certainly 
never said that I did not want his help; I was not fool 
enough to think a Battery could maintain a position 
such as was assigned to the 4th New York without a 
strong force of infantry in support. Not having such 
support in line, it was my belief that the best disposition 
ought to be made of the limited force at hand; there- 
fore I suggested to Colonel Walker the advisability of 
moving his regiment from the rear of the Battery into 
the woods on our left, saying at the time, if he would 
protect the flank, the Battery would endeavor to take 
care of the front. 

I believed at the time that infantry stationed in those 
woods would be able to resist any effort of the enemy 
to take possession of, and turn to good account, the ex- 
cellent protection there offered. My desire to have Fed- 
eral troops posted in the woods on our left and in front 
of Round Top, led to my speaking to Colonel Walker 
about the matter. 

I regret that this brave old hero now attempts to place 
me in a false position; there was no mistaking my mean- 
ing at the time, and there is no good reason for miscon- 
struing it now. 

A few minutes before leaving the last position my 
horse was killed, which led to a ludicrous incident at 
my expense. I wore boots with a stiff leg to the knee 



no A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

and a light calf leg lined with white morocco reaching 
to the hip. When dismounted the upper part was 
rolled in a manner to form a top-boot; becoming dis- 
arranged during the battle the roll relapsed so that 
from the knee to the ankle the appearance was that of 
boots with white legs. I^ieutenant Goodman seeing 
that I was without a mount, kindly gave me the use of 
his horse so that I might reach the head of the column 
then moving through the woods. While moving back 
from the position taken on Winslow's right, one of the 
men caught me by the leg exclaiming, ' ' Captain, you 're 
shot ! ' ' Glancing down I saw that the boot was covered 
with blood, and located the supposed wound in the 
calf of the right leg. The limb began to pain and I 
plainly felt the blood running into the boot. I moved 
my toes and the red liquid swashed between them. The 
foot and the limb were much swollen I imagined, and I 
became anxious to ascertain the extent of the damage; 
therefore, at the first available moment I was down. 
Calling one of the men to assist in drawing off the 
boot (scolding him for causing, unnecessarily, extra 
pain by his carelessness, while doing so) I patiently and 
calmly resigned myself to the inevitable. The boot 
being removed and no sign of blood found, I quickly 
glanced at the man who had drawn it and saw on his 
face a broad grin. I hastily said, * ' Let me tell this 
story first, please." 

Searching for an explanation, it was discovered that 
the horse was shot in the flank, and by spurring, the 
boot-leg had come in contact with the blood which 
flow^ed from the wound. Imagination accomplished 
the rest. 



GETTYSBURG. Ill 

Another incident occurred which, under the circum- 
stances, was amusing, and goes far towards displaying 
the comic side of the Irish character. At a time when 
the rebel riflemen were annoying the artillerists from 
their concealed shelter behind the large boulders, etc., 
Michael Broderick, detailed from the nth Massachu- 
setts Volunteers, and placed as driver on the Battery 
wagon, left his team which was out of danger and came 
forward to the crest where things were a little lively, 
and picking up a musket which had been dropped by 
one of the infantry, he was soon engaged with a foe who 
was evidently behind one of the boulders in front. Mike 
was oblivious to the bullets flying carelessly about; he 
simply had an eye on his man, and to even up chances, 
he too sought the friendly protection of a large rock. 
His strange antics first attracted my notice, and when 
I took him to task for leaving his team, his reply was: 
" lyCt me stay here. Captain, sure there are plenty back 
there to look after the horses." I said no more and 
Mike again commenced to dance, first on one side of 
the rock and then on the other, challenging his 7na7i to 
come out and face him; then he would dodge behind 
the rock to avoid, I presume, the privilege of stopping 
a bullet, then out he would jump again shouting, 
" Come on now, if you dare, bad luck to you." He was 
thus engaged when I last noticed him. At night Mike 
was reported missing, but early on the morning of the 
3d, he reported, with a rebel musket and cartridge belt, 
stating that he had been taken prisoner and placed in a 
belt of timber with other Federal soldiers. Watching his 
chance, he noticed the guards were few and far between, 
and when opportunity offered he quickly found a belt 



112 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

and musket and commenced to march up and down 
like the Confederate guards (his slouch hat and old 
blouse together with his general make-up aroused no 
suspicion, as many rebels were dressed similarly). 
When night came on he marched into the Federal lines 
and reported as stated. 

The Battery was parked on the Baltimore pike. I sent 
to the Sixth Corps for a surgeon to care for the wounded. 
Early on the morning of the 3d I reported three guns 
for service and was assigned position in the second 
line near the Third Corps, but was not again engaged 
during this battle. 



OFFICIAIv REPORTS — UWION. 1 13 



CHAPTER IX 

Official Reports — Uyiion 

Thk OfficiaIv Reports of Federai, Officers, from Se- 
ries I, Vol. XXVII, Part I, Rebei^lion Records. 

Gen. H. J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery Army of the 
Potomac, relating to the part taken by the Battery at 
Gettysburg : 

* * # "Smith's 4th New York on the extreme left 
and on a steep and rocky eminence in advance of Sugar 
Loaf, and on his right Winslow's (*D,' ist New York) 
in a wheat-field, separated from Smith by a belt of woods. 
* * * As Smith had not opened, I went to his bat- 
tery to ascertain the cause. When I arrived he had 
succeeded in getting his guns into position, and just 
opened fire. As his position commanded that of the 
enemy and enfiladed their line, his fire was very effec- 
tive. * * * In the meantime the enemy had es- 
tablished his new batteries to the north of the road and 
Smith turned his guns upon them. * ^i^ * Three 
of these belonged to Smith's Battery on our extreme 
left. The guns were stationed on the brow of a very 
precipitous and rocky height, beyond a ravine in front 
of our line. The difficulty in getting these guns up the 
height had caused the delay in Smith's opening his fire. 
He fought them to the last moment in hopes of keeping 
the enemy off and in the belief that the ground would 
be in our possession again before the guns could be car- 
ried off by the enemy. He got off one of the four guns 



114 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

he had placed on the height, but was compelled to aban- 
don the other three." * 'i^ * 

Report of Major General David B. Birney, First Di- 
vision, Third Corps : 

* * * " Smith's battery of rifled guns was placed 
so as to command the gorge at the base of the Sugar 
Loaf Mountain." * * * 

Report of Capt. George E. Randolph, Chief cf 

Third Corps Artillery : 

* * * ' 'Smith's and Winslow's Batteries on their 
arrival from Emmitsburg were parked. until some better 
disposition could be made of them. * * * I placed 
Smith's Battery near the extreme left, between Round 
Top Mountain and the woods, on a rocky hill com- 
manding a long valley running toward Emmitsburg. On 
the right of Smith's, after passing a belt of woods, w^as 
an opening. * -i^ ^ It soon became evident that 
the enemy was preparing for an attack at this point. 
He soon opened more batteries on the right of his first 
and commenced a heavy fire from them upon our troops. 
Ames and Clark were soon so well at work that the 
advantage was not on the side of the enemy, and at 
last a well-directed fire from Smith's Battery on the 
extreme left silenced them for a time. The respite, 
however, was short, as at about 3 o'clock p. m. the en- 
emy re-opened fire, and, under cover of his artillery, 
began to push infantry against our position. The part 
of our line where Smith's Battery was placed was as- 
sailed in the most furious and determined manner, and 
notwithstanding the conduct of our troops, after a long 
struggle it became evident that the line would break. 
The hill upon which the guns stood was very rough 
and rocky, rendering maneuvering with horses almost 
an impossibility. Four of Captain Smith's guns only 
had been at first placed in battery. These were served 



OFFICIAI, REPORTS — UNION. I I 5 

effectively till tlie}^ could no longer be without danger 
to our own troops, who had advanced to the front of 
the battery. The remaining two were placed in a po- 
sition a few yards in rear, and pointed obliquely into 
the woods on the left in front of Round Top Mountain, 
which was occupied by the advancing lines of the en- 
emy. These guns continued their fire till their sup- 
ports were compelled to retire, when they were with- 
drawn by Captain Smith, leaving three of the four 
that were in advance still on the hill and in possession 
of the enemy. Captain Smith says he supposed the 
hill would be immediately re-taken by our troops and 
that, as it was a place most difficult of access, it was 
wiser to leave them where they could be used against 
the enemy immediatel}^ we regained the hill. I regret 
the loss, but from m}^ knowledge of the position and of 
the gallantry displayed by Captain Smith, I am con- 
vinced that it was one of those very unpleasant, but 
yet unavoidable, results that sometimes attend the ef- 
forts of the most meritorious officers." * * * 

Report of Maj.-Gen. Sykes, U. S. Army, command- 
ing Fifth Corps: 

* * ^ "A rocky ridge, commanding alm.ost an 
entire view of the plateau held by our army, was on our 
extreme left. Between it and the position occupied by 
Birney's Division, Third Corps, was a narrow gorge 
filled with immense boulders and flanked on either side 
by dense woods. It afforded excellent cover and an ex- 
cellent approach for the enemy, both of which he 
promptly made use of. The rocky ridge commanded 
and controlled this gorge. In examining it and the 
ground adjacent previous to posting my troops, I found 
a battery at its outer edge and without adequate sup- 
port. I galloped to General Birney, whose troops were 
nearest, explained to him the necessity of protecting the 
guns, and suggested that he should close his division on 



Il6 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

the battery and hold the edge of the woods on its right. 
I promised to fill the gap he opened, which I did with 
Sweitzer's and Tilton's brigades, of my first division, 
posting them myself." 

[Note. — I have been mystified by the above, and can 
not account for the scantiness of the support actually 
provided; it was not adequate, nor was it in harmony 
with the importance of the position. — ^J. K. S.] 

Report of Thomas W. Egan, Colonel Commanding 
40th New York Volunteer Infantry: 

^ >lc ;}i » < ^-j^Q enemy had at this time partly suc- 
ceeded in flanking the Second Brigade upon my right 
by a movement upon their left. Captain Smith's (4th 
New York) Battery was stationed upon the ridge at my 
right and was in a ver>^ perilous situation; the enemy hav- 
ing alread}^ captured three of his pieces, he called upon me 
in beseeching terms to save his Battery." * * * 

[Note. — It must be remembered that our front had 
changed when the 40th New York and 6th New Jersey 
regiments arrived. Our former front faced west, but 
after leaving the ridge we changed front to about south- 
west by south, to conform to the line made by Ben- 
ning's Brigade, which had marched through the gorge 
by the right flank. (See map.) Therefore, when Col- 
onel Egan speaks of his right he alludes to the ridge, 
and the troops on his right were the 6th New Jersey. — 
J. E. S.] 

Report of Col. S. R. Gilkison, 6th New Jersey In- 
fantry: 

* * * << Advancing promptly through the woods 
we came to a fence. Having no one to guide me and not 



OI^FICIAI, REPORTS — UNION. II7 

knowing the position the regiment was to occupy, I 
formed Hne and opened fire on the enemy directly in our 
front. Soon ascertaining the position of our Hne, under 
a heavy fire from the enemy, I advanced the regiment 
about two hundred yards across the open field directly 
in front of the 4th New York Battery, Captain Smith, 
taking position on the left of Ward's Brigade." 

Report of Lieut. Charles F. Sawyer, 4th Maine: 

* * >K " Were then assigned position on the left 
of the Brigade and advanced to a position on a rocky 
hill, in support of the 4th New York Battery. The 
position of the regiment was changed to the left of the 
Battery on the advance of the enemy. One company 
(" F") being left on the brow of the hill, the rest of 
the regiment being in the ravine and left of the line ex- 
tending into the side of the hill on the left." * * * 

Report of Brig. -Gen. J. H. Hobart Ward, command- 
ing Second Brigade and First Division : 

^ ^ :^ i( After placing my Brigade in the position 
assigned, Major Stoughton, of the Second U. S. Sharp- 
shooters, reported to me with his command. I directed 
him to advance his command as skirmishers across the 
field in front of mine for half a mile and await further 
orders. They had scarcely obtained the position desig- 
nated before the skirmishers of the enemy issued from 
a wood in front, followed by heavy lines of infantry. 
Captain Smith's Battery of rifled guns posted on the 
eminence on my left, opened on the advancing enemy. 

* * * In the meantime I had sent to General 
Birney for reinforcements, who directed Colonel Egan 
with the 40th New York, to report. The enemy now 
concentrated his force on our extreme left, with the 
intention to turn our left flank through a gorge between 
my left and Sugar Loaf Hill. The 40th New York 
was despatched to cover the gap, which they did most 



Il8 • A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

effectually. Our men, now mucli exhausted and nearly 
destitute of ammunition, were relieved by a portion of 
the Second and Fifth Corps, when we retired and biv- 
ouacked for the night." 

[NoTK — Benning's Brigade had made the passage of 
the gorge before the 40th New York volunteers reached 
the ground. The two pieces of Smith' s Battery had been 
briskly engaged in pouring canister into the head col- 
umn of these troops as they emerged from the gorge 
near Devil's Den. After this Benning formed his line 
between Little Round Top and Devil's Den, and then 
the 6th New Jersey and 40th New York Volunteers 
attacked them.— J. B. S.] 

Report 01 Captain James E. Smith, 4th New York 
Battery: 

"Camp near Sandy Hook, M.Tf., July 20, 1863. 

^^Sir: I have the honor to report the participation of 
the 4th New York Battery, under my command, during 
the Battle of Gettysburg July 2d. In compliance with 
instructions received from you, I placed two sections of 
my Battery on a hill near the Devil's Cave, on the left of 
General Birney's line, leaving one section together with 
caissons and horses, one hundred and fifty yards in the 
rear. The 4th Maine Regiment was detailed as support, 
forming line in rear, under cover of a hill. [This is an er- 
ror; this position was occupied by the 124th New York 
Regiment.] On my left, extending half way to the 
Emmitsburg road, was a thick wood, in which I re- 
quested I^ieutenant Leigh, aide-de-camp to General 
Ward, to place supports. He informed me that a bri- 
gade had already been placed there, but this must have 
been a mistake. About 2:30 p. M. the enemy opened 
fire on my right and front from several guns, directing 
a portion of their fire upon my position. I was ordered 
by one of General Ward's aides to return their fire, 



OFFICIAI, REPORTS — UNION. II9 

which order I complied with. Twent)^ minutes later I 
discovered the enemy was endeavoring to get a section 
of twelve-pounder guns in position on my left and front, 
in order to enfilade this part of our line; but I suc- 
ceeded in driving them off before they had an oppor- 
tunity to open fire. Soon after, a battery of six light 
twelve pounders marched from the woods near the Em- 
mitsburg road and went in battery in the field in front 
about fourteen hundred yards distant. A spirited duel 
immediately began between this battery and my own, 
lasting nearly twenty minutes, when Anderson's Bri- 
gade of Hood's Division, Longs treet's Corps (rebel) 
charged upon us. " 

[Note.— This imprcwssion was formed at the time, 
based upon information obtained from some Confeder- 
ate wounded soldiers left in their hospitals; it should 
have been Hood's Division. — ^J. E. S.] 

' ' The rebel battery then left the field and I directed 
my fire upon the infantry. At this time I requested 
the officer in command of the 4th Maine Regiment to 
place his command in the woods on my left, telling him 
I could take care of my front, but my request was not 
complied with." 

[Note. — It has been stated by some that I intimated 
my ability to whip the Confederate army with the Bat- 
tery, and did not wish any support ; but the truth of 
the matter is, I wished to place the support where it 
would do the most good. I felt very much annoyed 
that the woods to the left of our line, which offered such 
excellent protection for defensive operations, should 
be left for the enemy to enter without opposition. From 
this position the troops stationed on the ridge and 
across the ravine at Devil's Den were flanked, and un- 



I20 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

der cover of these woods Benning formed liis brigade 
for the march through the gorge, while the same woods 
furnished cover to Law's brigade to prepare for the as- 
sault on Round Top. — ^J. E. S.] 

* ' I used case shot upon the advancing column until 
they emerged from the woods on my left flank in line 
of battle three hundred yards distant ; then I used can- 
ister with little effect, owing to numerous large rocks 
which afforded excellent protection to their sharpshoot- 
ers. I saw it would be impossible for me to hold my 
position without assistance, and therefore called upon 
my support, who gallantly advanced up the hill and en- 
gaged the enemy. Fighting became so close that I or- 
dered my men to cease firing, as many of the 4th Maine 
had already advanced in front of the guns. ' ' 

[Note. — This error as to the name of regiment was 
caused by my attention being directed to the front while 
the 4th Maine moved across the ravine, and the 124th 
New York occupied the vacancy in rear of the Battery. 
For many years I labored under the impression that the 
4th Maine was directly in rear of the guns at the time I 
called for assistance. In this manner I failed to credit 
the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' with the noble and gallant 
charge they made at the most critical moment of that 
trying contest for the possession of the ridge and the 
guns stationed thereon. — ^J. E. S.] 

' * I then went to the rear and opened that section of 
guns, firing obliquely through the gulley (gorge), doing 
good execution. At this time the 6th New Jersey Vol- 
unteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Gilkison commanding, and 
40th New York Regiment, Colonel Egan commanding 
came to our support. These regiments marched down 



OFFICIAI, REPORTS — UNION. 121 

the gulley fighting like tigers, exposed to a terrific fire 
of musketry; and when within one hundred yards of 
the rebel line the 4th Maine, w^hich still held the hill, 
were forced to retreat." 

[Note. — At the time the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' charged 
in front of the guns on the ridge cutting off my fire, I 
noticed the head of Benning's brigade moving by the 
flank through the gorge. To check this, I ran to the 
two guns in rear and opened with canister; seeing Fed- 
eral soldiers on the ridge, I naturally supposed they were 
the same that had made the charge. Recent informa- 
tion leads me to believe the 99th Pennsylvania regi- 
ment was moved from the woods on the right, while the 
' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' fell back into this same w^oods 
lower down the slope, after changing their front from 
west to south. It is certain that neither the 4th Maine 
nor ' * Orange Blossoms ' ' occupied the ridge after my de- 
parture. In this way only can I account for the pres- 
ence of the 99th Pennsylvania, which I failed to recog- 
nize at the time. — ^J. K. S.] 

' ' Very soon afterward the 40th New York and 6th 
New Jersey regiments were compelled to follow. I then 
ordered my remaining guns to the rear. When I left 
these guns on the hill, one having been sent to the rear 
disabled, I was under the impression we would be able to 
hold that position; but, if forced to retreat, I expected 
my support would save the guns; which, however, they 
failed to do. I could have run my guns to the rear, but 
expecting to use them at any moment and the position 
being difficult of access, I thought best to leave them 
for a while. Again, I feared if I removed them the in- 
fantry might mistake the movement for a retreat. In 
my opinion, had supports been placed in the woods, as 



122 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

I wished, the hill could not have been taken. I con- 
ducted my command to a field near the Baltimore turn- 
pike — three-quarters of a mile from Third Corps head- 
quarters — and encamped for the night, reporting three 
guns for service next morning to Captain Clark, acting 
Chief of Corps Artillery. * * * The non-com- 
missioned officers and privates conducted themselves 
throughout the day with commendable bravery. ^ * 
* I trust that no blame can be attached to me for 
the loss of any guns; I did that which in my judgment 
was best. 

" (Signed) James E. Smith." 



OFFICIAI. RKPORTS — CONFKDKRATK. 1 23 



CHAPTER X 

Official Reports — Confederate 

BkforK calling attention to the official reports of 
Confederate officers engaged in our front and who make 
reference to the Battery, I wish to state that no other 
field pieces took part in the battle for the possession of 
the gorge and ridge near Devil's Den (Hazlett's not 
being in use until after the ridge had fallen into the 
enemy's possession, and the very nature of the posi- 
tions forbids the admission of the theory advanced by 
some of the Confederates, that they suffered from the 
fire of guns stationed on Little Round Top while charg- 
ing over the open space between the Devil's Den and 
Kmmitsburg road); hence, all references here quoted 
apply to the 4th New York Battery, because I do not 
refer to that part of the battle for the possession of 
Little Round Top. 

Report of Brig. -Gen. Henry L. Benning, Confederate 
States Army, commanding brigade : 

* * * * ' A wood intervened between us and the 
enemy, which, though it did not prevent their shells 
from reaching us and producing some casualties, yet 
completely hid them from our view. On emerging 
from the woods their position became visible. Before 
us at the distance of six hundred or eight hundred yards, 
was an oblong mountain peak or spur, presenting to us a 



124 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

steep face much roughened by rocks. To the right 
four hundred or five hundred 3^ards from the peak was 
the mountain itself, with a side that looked almost 
perpendicular; its summit overlooked the peak just 
sufficiently to command it well. On the summit of 
the peak were three pieces of artillery." 

[Note. — This refers to the four guns, but as three 
were captured the mistake is obvious. — ^J. E. S.] 

"iOn a sort of uneven, irregular shelf were three 
others. To the right and left of the Battery as well as 
immediately in its rear, were lines of infantry, as we 
afterwards ascertained. This formed the enemy's first 
line of battle." 

[Note. — This description of the position of the Bat- 
tery is accounted for by the manner in which this Bri- 
gade came through the gorge, as is the following state- 
ment in regard to Hazlett's guns. When General Ben- 
ning first obtained a view of the second line it was after 
his brigade had reached the space between the gap and 
base of Little Round Top. At this time he had good 
reason to believe there was a second line, but he is a 
little premature in locating it. — ^J. K. S.] 

' ' On the top of the mountain itself and a little to the 
right of the peak w^ere five other guns. These com- 
manded our approaches to the peak for nearly the whole 
way. To the right and left of these extended the ene- 
my's second line of infantry. Where that line crossed 
the gorge running between the peak and the mountain, 
a point five or six hundred yards in the rear of the peak, 
were two other guns. This w^as ascertained when the 
right of the brigade reached the gorge by the terrible 
fire from them which swept down the gorge." 



OFFICIAIy REPORTS — CONFEDERATE. 1 25 

*' Thus, what we had to encounter were thirteen guns 
and two, if not more. Hues of infantry, posted on moun- 
tain heights. The intervening spur over which we 
had to march to reach the first Hue was nearly all open, 
>!^ ^ >K Where my line reached the foot of the peak 
(ridge) I found there a part of the ist Texas, strug- 
gling to make the ascent, the rest of the brigade hav- 
ing gone to the right and left, the 4th and 5th Texas 
to the right and the 3d Arkansas to the left. The 
part of the ist Texas referred to falling in with my 
brigade, the whole line commenced ascending the 
rugged steep and (on the right) crossing the gorge. 
The ground was difficult — rocks in many places — pre- 
senting by their precipitous sides insurmountable obsta- 
cles, while the fire of the enemy was very heavy and 
very deadly. The progress, therefore, was not very rapid, 
but it was regular and uninterrupted. After awhile 
the enemy were driven from their three front guns. The 
advance continued and at length they were driven 
completely from the peak, but they carried with them 
the three guns on its summit, its sudden descent on 
the other side favoring the operation, so that we cap- 
tured only the three front guns. These were ten- 
pounder Parrotts. A number of prisoners were also 
taken, more, I suppose, than one hundred. * * >l< 
Colonel Jones was killed late in the action, not far from 
the captured guns, after the enemy's forces were driven 
from the position and they had themselves opened on it 
with shell from the other batteries, a fragment of one 
of which, glancing from the rock, passed through his 
brain, ^i^ * * Colonel Harris was farther to the 
right when he and his regiment were exposed to the 
terrible fire of the two pieces which swept the gorge, 
as well as to the infantry fire of the enemy's left. 
* * * Under a fire from so many cannon, and 
toward the last from so much musketry, they (the 
Confederates) advanced steadily over the ground, for 
the most part open, mounted a difficult height, drove 



126 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

back from it the enemy, occupied his lines, took three 
guns, captured a number of prisoners, and against his 
utmost efforts held all they had gained. The captured 
guns were taken by the 20th Georgia (Colonel Jones, 
and after his death, Lieutenant-Colonel Waddell), the 
part of the ist Texas above referred to (Colonel 
Work), and the 17th Georgia (Colonel Hodges), but 
the honor of the capture was not exclusively theirs. 
They could not have taken, certainly could not have 
held, the guns, if Lieutenant-Colonel Harris, and, after 
his death. Major (W. S.) Shepherd, on the left with the 
2d Georgia, and Colonel Du Boise, with the 15th 
Georgia, on the right, had not by the hardest kind of 
fighting and at great loss protected their flanks." 

[Note. — The number of troops engaged in the cap- 
ture of the guns, and the evidence of such brave foes, 
leaves little to be said as to the manner and character 
of the defense.— J. E. S.] 

Report of Colonel William F. Perry, commanding 
44th Alabama Infantry : 

* >J^ * < < When at a short distance from the stone 
fence near the base of the mountain. General Law in- 
formed me that he expected my regiment to take a bat- 
tery which had been playing on our line from the mo- 
ment the advance began. This battery was situated 
not on the mountain itself, but on a rugged cliff which 
formed the abrupt termination of a ridge that proceeded 
from the mountain, and ran in a direction somewhat 
parallel with it, leaving a valley destitute of trees and 
filled with immense boulders between them. This valley, 
not more than three hundred paces in breadth, and the 
cliff on which their artillery was stationed, were occu- 
pied by two regiments of the enemy's mfsLutry. The 
direction of the regiment after crossing the stone fence 
was such that a march to the front would have carried 



OFFICIAL REPORTS — CONFF:dERATK. 1 27 

it to the right of the enemy's position. It was, there- 
fore, wheeled to the left, so as to confront that position, 
its left opposite the battery and its right extending to- 
ward the base of the mountain. This movement was 
executed under fire, and within two hundred yards of 
the enemy. The forward movement was immediately 
ordered, and was responded to with an alacrity and 
courage seldom, if ever, excelled on the battle-field. 
As the men emerged from the forest into the valley be- 
fore mentioned, they received a deadly volley at short 
range, which in a few seconds killed or disabled one- 
fourth their number. Halting without an order from 
me, and availing themselves of the shelter which the 
rocks afforded, they returned the fire. Such was their 
extreme exhaustion — having marched without inter- 
ruption twenty-four miles to reach the battle-field and 
advanced at a double-quick step fully a mile to engage 
the enemy — that I hesitated for an instant to order them 
immediately forward. Perceiving very soon, however, 
that the enemy were giving away, I rushed forward, 
shouting to them to advance. It was with the greatest 
difficulty that I could make myself heard or understood 
above the din of battle. The order was, however, ex- 
tended along the line, and was promptly obeyed ; the 
men sprang forward over the rocks, swept the position 
and took possession of the heights, capturing forty or 
fifty prisoners around the battery and among the cliffs. 
Meanwhile the enemy had put a battery in position 
on a terrace of the mountain to our right, which opened 
on us an enfilading fire of grape and spherical case shot. 
A sharp fire of small arms was also opened from the 
same direction. This was not destructive, however, 
owing to the protection afforded by the rocks. At this 
critical moment General Benning's Brigade of Geor- 
gians advanced gallantly into action ; his extreme right 
lapping upon my left, swarmed over the cliffs and min- 
gled with my men. It was now past 5 p. m. ; the con- 
flict continued to rage with great fury until dark.* Again 



128 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

and again the enemy in great force attempted to dis- 
lodge us from the position and re-take the battery, in 
each case with signal failure and heavy loss. 

[Note. — Colonel Perry's report is very accurate in al- 
most every particular. He evidently witnessed the oc- 
cupation of Little Round Top by the Federal troops, 
and alludes to Benning's Brigade as joining on his right 
at this time. This was at the time that brigade moved 
through the gorge. The fatal mistake of allowing the 
enemy to occupy the woods on our left w^as turned to 
good account by them, they making use of it as a rally- 
ing point.— J. B. S.] 

Report of Brig. -Gen. J. B. Robertson, Confederate 
States Army, commanding brigade: 

* * * "Understanding before the action com- 
menced that the attack on our part was to be general, 
and that the force of General Law's center was to ad- 
vance simultaneously with us on my immediate left, and 
seeing at once that a mountain held by the enemy in 
heavy force, with artillery, to the right of General Law's 
centre was the key to the enemy's left, I abandoned the 
pike, and closed on General Law's left. This caused 
some separation of my regiments, which was remedied 
as promptly as the numerous stone and rail fences that 
intersected the field through which w^e were advancing 
would allow. Asw^e advanced through this field, for 
half a mile, we were exposed to a heavy and destructive 
fire of canister, grape, and shell from six pieces of their 
artillery on the mountain alluded to, and the same num- 
ber on a commanding hill but a short distance to the 
left of the mountain, and from the enemy's sharpshoot- 
ers from behind the numerous rocks, fences and houses 
in the field. * * ^i^ Lieutenant- Colonel Work, with 



OFFICIAI, REPORTS — CONFKDKRATK. 1 29 

the ist Texas Regiment, having pressed forward to the 
crest of the hill and driven the enemy from his battery, 
I ordered him to the left to the relief and support of 
Colonel Manning, directing Major Bass, with two com- 
panies, to hold the hill while Colonel Worth with the 
rest of the regiment went to Colonel Manning's relief. 
With this assistance, Colonel Manning drove the enemy 
back and entered the woods after him, when the 
enemy re-occupied the hill and his batteries in Colonel 
Work's front, from which Colonel Work again drove 
him." * * * 

Report of Maj. J. P. Bane, 4th Texas: 

* * * "Advancing at double-quick, we soon met 
the enemy's skirmishers, who occupied a skirt of thick 
undergrow^th about one-quarter of a mile from the. base 
of the cliffs, upon which the enemy had a battery play- 
ing upon us with the most deadly effect. " * * * 

Report of I^ieut.-Col. William S. Shepherd, 2d Geor- 
gia: 

* * * * ' Just before reaching its position in line, 
the regiment advanced by the right flank through an 
open field, under a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery, 
which was posted on a commanding position. * * * 
Before advancing in line of battle, the command was 
permitted to rest a few moments. The 2d Georgia 
composed the right, and, with the 17th Georgia the 
right wing of Benning's Brigade. Soon the order to 
advance was given, when the entire regiment moved 
forward in splendid order until it came to a deep gorge, 
where the nature of the ground was such that it w^as 
impossible to preserve an alignment; but, notwithstand- 
ing the rocks, undergrowth and the deadly fire of the 
enemy, the officers and men of this regiment moved 
forward with dauntless courage, driving the enemy be- 
fore them, and it did not halt until they saw they were 



130 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

some distance in advance of their line, and beyond a 
rocky eminence on the left, which had been previously 
held by the enemy. Here the regiment made a stand 
and fought as gallantly as men could fight, and did not 
yield an inch of ground, but repulsed several charges 
made by the enemy, who were protected by a battery 
and a hill lined with sharpshooters." * * * 

Report of Col. W. C. Hodges, 17th Georgia: 

* >i« 1^ **The 2d and 17th Georgia regiments 
formed the right wing of Benning's Brigade ; and, after 
being formed in line facing the enemy under a murder- 
ous fire of artillery, ably served, and volleys of musket- 
ry, dashed forward gallantly and with impetuosity, un- 
til a four-gun battery of the enemy, from which we had 
received no little annoyance, was passed by the left of 
my regiment ; and many of the officers and men, both 
of said battery and its support, composed in part of a 
detachment of the 4th Maine infantry, were captured 
and sent to the rear by the men of my command. 

It is not intended in this statement to set up any ex- 
clusive claim to the capture of the battery, which, hav- 
ing had its support stripped from it in the manner indi- 
cated, remained at the command of the brigade until 
removed under cover of night. The position of my 
regiment in relation to this battery proves its instru- 
mentality in the valuable capture." * * * 

. [Note. — No officers or enlisted men, save Broderick, 
were captured from the Battery. — ^J. K. S.] 

Report of Col. J. Waddell, 17th Georgia: 

sK >[c ^ "l^he enemy's guns commanded a consid- 
erable portion of this distance and opened a heavy fire 
of shell upon us for more than a mile of the way. 
About 5 p. M., having reached the intended point, we 
advanced in line of battle to assault, the regiment 



OFFICIAI, RKPORTS — CONFKDKRATK. 13I 

moving in excellent order and spirit. We had not 
advanced far before it was ascertained that there was a 
considerable space intervening between Law's and 
Robertson's Brigades, unoccupied by any Confederate 
troops save very few belonging to the ist Texas Regi- 
ment. Near to the center of this comparatively unoc- 
cupied ground, upon a steep, rocky, rugged hill, the 
enemy had posted a battery of six guns from which a 
destructive and vigorous fire was poured in our ranks. 
To cover this ground and to support Brigadier- General 
(J. B.) Robertson, w^ho was pressed severely at the 
time, a left and oblique movement was made and con- 
tinued until the 20th Regiment fronted this battery, 
when the brigade was ordered to advance forward. 
The order was obeyed by the regiment with prompt- 
ness and alacrity, and the charge upon the hill and 
battery executed courageously and successfully. In 
the space of fifteen minutes the hill was carried and 
three ten-pounder Parrott guns captured. They were 
brought off that night and the next day turned against 
the enemy in that terrible artillery fight. Some twenty- 
five prisoners were captured and sent to the rear, some 
of whom aided our wounded in getting to the hospital. 
Three regiments, viz.: the 99th Pennsylvania, 124th 
New York and the 4th Maine were represented in the 
persons of the prisoners. " * * * 

[Note. — These ofiicial reports of Confederate officers 
in command of troops who were engaged in the capture 
of the three guns, strongly corroborate every statement 
made by me. When Hood's Division began the ad- 
vance, Law's Brigade was on his right, with Benning's 
in rear, while Robertson's Brigade was on his left, with 
Anderson's in rear, reaching the woods on our left. 
Law's Brigade moved to their right to ascend Round 
Top while Benning moved to their left to fill the open- 



132 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

ing between Law's left and Robertson's right. This 
movement placed Banning' s Brigade across the gorge, 
forming a line in the order indicated in the sketch, to 
wit: Law' s, Benning's, Robertson's, Anderson's. Ben- 
ning's Brigade, with right in front, moved up through 
the gorge by the flank (see diagram). This explains 
how the ridge was flanked ; the two guns were run for- 
ward by hand to dispute Benning's. advance. — J. K. S.] 



I.ETTKRS. 133 



CHAPTER XI 

Letters from Participayits in the Battle Referri7ig to the 
Part Takeft by the Battery. 

To CONCI.UDK, I will add a few quotations from letters, 
etc. 

Correspondence with the New York He7'ald, in 1864, 
relating to the battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, signed 
''Historicus": 

* * * " The critical moment had now arrived ; 
the enemy's movements indicated their purpose to seize 
Round Top hill ; and this in their possession, General 
lyongstreet would have had easy work in cutting up our 
left wing. To prevent this disaster. Sickles waited no 
longer for orders from General Meade, but directed Gen- 
eral Hobart Ward's brigade and Smith's Battery (4th 
New York to secure that vital position." * * * 

A letter written by Major Thomas W. Bradley, 124th 
New York Volunteers, and published in the Nati07ial 
Tfibune, February 4, 1886 : 

"Smith's Battery has not received in history full 
credit for the heroic and valuable work done by its 
members at Gettysburg. I was at that time ist ser- 
geant of Company " H," 124th New York. I saw 
the Battery come down Rock Run Glen. The guns 
were unlimbered at the foot of Rock Ridge and hauled 



134 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



Up the steep acclivity into position amid the rocks on 
its crest, and the Battery was soon engaged in a hot 
duel with the rebel batteries on the heights beyond the 
' ' peach orchard. ' ' Under cover of the Confederate fire, 
Longstreet's Corps, massed in battle lines eight or ten 
deep, moved in confident, rapid attack on our position. 
The Battery changed from shell to canister, and, work- 
ing as I never saw gunners work before or since, tore 
gap after gap through the ranks of the advancing foe. 
All this time the men were exposed to the direct fire of 
Longstreet's Sharpshooters, and his front line. Every 
round of ammunition had to be carried from the foot of 
the ridge, the Battery keeping up a well-directed fire 
until the enemy was at the base of the heights and the 
guns could no longer be depressed to reach him. Then 
knowing that greatly superior force would overwhelm 
us and capture the guns unless checked, Colonel Ellis 
of the 124th, after a few rapid words with Major Crom- 
well, ordered a charge. It was immediately responded 
to and as quickly repulsed. It was again made in the 
face of a withering fire that left killed and wounded 
two-fifths of the regiment. Flanked at the Devil's Den 
by the turning of our line at that point, we were swept 
from the position, and the crest and guns were for a 
brief time in possession of the enemy. Meanwhile Cap- 
tain Smith had removed horses, caissons and ammuni- 
tion, rendering the guns useless to the enem}^ whose 
hold on the position was so short that he could not re- 
move them. * * * I^ongstreet's determined charge, 
now so famous in history, was so dauntlessly met by our 
single line of battle on the crest of Rock Ridge, his 
force so terribly broken by the merciless fire of Smith's 
canister and the fierce grapple amid the rocks of Devil's 
Den. * * * Xhe foregoing account is my recollec- 
tion of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. It may be faulty; it 
was more than twenty-two years ago, and I was but nine- 
teen years of age then. The business cares and thoughts 
of an active life have come in between. I was seriously 



LETTERS. 135 

wounded in the second charge and my memories of the 
last part of the contest are confused with the agon}^ of 
wounds, of being trampled under foot, carried and 
placed helplessly beside a rock on the other slope be- 
tween both fires, hoping as I lay there that I might live 
long enough to see our side win, which I did, thank 
God ! I recovered and returned to duty. During the 
last of my service I was a major and aide-de-camp on 
the staff of the Third Division, Second Corps. This 
Division was formed by the remnant of the old Third 
Corps left alive after Gettysburg. I managed to get 
' plugged ' a couple of times after that and yet see and 
take part in some pretty active fighting, but I never saw 
such a gallant rush 'into the jaws of Hell' as was 
made by our little regiment that July day, or a Battery 
worked and fought with such coolness and skill, such 
tireless devotion, and with such terrible havoc to the 
enemy. =i^ * * Without that charge and the work 
of Smith's Battery, our left would have been more 
seriously turned; but now, in the light of after experi- 
ence, as I think of it, what a mad act it was. Our regi- 
ment — a mere handful, at that — with no order back of 
its Colonel, charging from its base in line of battle to 
lock arms with Longstreet. This good it did, it gave 
pluck and steadiness to the men at our left, who were 
needing it and who fought like heroes, as the slaughter- 
house in the Den abundantly attested." 

The following is an extract from a private letter (to 
Captain James H. Smith of Smith's 4th New York Bat- 
ter>^ now of Washington, D. C.) from A. W. Tucker, 
124th New York, Dallas City, Pa., author of the article 
on the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' in the National Tribune of 
January 21, 1886: 

' ' You are right in your conclusions why we did not 
bring off your guns. Your one supposition that we 
were too few in numbers when relieved, is partially cor- 



136 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

rect; and again that we did not occupy the same ground 
as when the fight opened. By the loss occasioned during 
the battle, we had kept closing to the right, so that when 
relieved, my company, which was on the left of the regi- 
ment, was where the right of the regiment was when the 
fight opened. Hence, we were at least one hundred 
yards to the right of your guns. I do not know what 
troops were in the vicinity of the guns, but think it 
must have been the 99th Pennsylvania. I am glad to 
be able to clear up the mystery why we failed to bring 
off your guns." H^ ^^ *^ 

Extract from a letter published in National Tribune 
January 21, 1886, by A. W. Tucker, Company ''B," 
124th New York, Dallas City, Pa.: 

* * * "A short time previous, Smith's Battery- 
went into position about two rods to the left and front 
of Company " B " of our regiment. I was where I could 
see every movement and hear every order. It had 
hardly taken position before a rebel battery on the Km- 
mittsburg ridge opened on it. Smith's Battery re- 
sponded in gallant style. The rebels then brought two 
more batteries of six guns each in position, nearly in 
front of our regiment and not half a mile distant. Their 
efforts to silence Smith's Battery made our position al- 
most untenable. Our Colonel (Ellis) moved us by the 
right flank into the woods on which our right rested. I 
judge he thought, after he had got us in there that in- 
stead of the woods being a protection they made our 
next position more hazardous than the one we had just 
abandoned. We were soon moved by the left flank back 
to our old position. Company " B " resting within a few 
feet of Smith's Battery. During all this time the can- 
nonading was going on incessantly. * * * It 
lasted for about an hour. There were some several 
casualties in our regiment from the enemy's shells. 
About 3 p. M. the cannonading seemed to stop by mutual 




J HARVEY HANFORD. 



I^ET^KRS. 137 

consent, as though for a breathing spell; but it was of 
short duration. At once we could see emerge from the 
woods along the Kmmittsburg road a deployed rebel 
skirmish line; within supporting distance was a long line 
of battle extending in either direction as far as the eye 
could reach. It was followed by a second and third line, 
each in supporting distance. It was at this particular 
time that Smith's Battery did splendid service. The 
guns were worked to their utmost, every order was given 
in a clear, distinct tone that could be heard above the 
tumult. I heard the gunners directed to use five and 
six second fuse, and when the gunners reported that the 
case shot and shrapnel were all gone, I heard the order, 
' Give them shell ! Give them solid shot ! Damn them, 
give them anything.' 

' ' The guns were worked until the ammunition was 
gone, several of the Battery men had been shot and the 
rebels were within pistol range. " * ^ * 

A letter published in the National Tribune December 
23, 1885, froi^ J- Harvey Hanford, Unionville, Orange 
County, New York, formerly of the 124th New York: 

To the Editor : 

" In a late issue of the National Tribime you invite 
a minute description of an active private soldier's ex- 
perience on the battlefield of Gettysburg. I will try 
to give you a part of mine. I was 2d sergeant of Com- 
pany "B" 124th N. Y. Vols., and together with the 
rest of the regiment and others reached the vicinity of 
Gettysburg at 8.30 p. m., July i, 1863. We lay down 
in an open field, with orders to sleep on our arms, and 
not take off an article of clothing or any of our accou- 
terments. This was hard sauce after such a march as 
we had had; but soldier-like, we had to take it out in 
grumbling. Early in the morning of the 2d we got our 
breakfast, and were then formed in line of battle behind 
a stone wall — an excellent position we thought. Not 



138 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

long after the order ' Forward, march ! ' was given, 
and after crossing one or two fields we came to the fa- 
mous wheat-field — and, by the way, it was the finest I 
ever saw, the wheat breast-high and ready to cut — but 
we marched through and over it in line of battle, and 
on looking back not a stock could be found, for it was 
all trodden out of sight. When nearly through the 
wheat-field the order was given, ' By the left flank, 
march ! ' and when halt was sounded, I being the ex- 
treme left man in the regiment, I found myself on 
the rocks at Devil's Den. A battery of guns, com- 
manded by Captain Smith, was soon in our midst. On 
this spot we lounged for some time, taking it easy. 
Our signal corps was a little to the left and rear of us, 
on Little Round Top. Presently a shell came shriek- 
ing and bursting near us; we needed no order or invi- 
tation to get behind the rocks, but did so at once. 
Then followed the usual cannonading until the infantry 
of the Confederates got so close as to pick off all our 
gunners. Then shone out the bravery of Captain 
Smith. When he had not men enough left to man the 
guns, he would come to us and ask and beg of us to 
help him fire them. Then he would run back to the 
guns and do what he could, and then back to us, and, 
with tears in his eyes would say: ' For God's sake, 
men, don't let them take my guns away from me!* 
(Twenty-two years ago, yet I can see his looks and 
hear his voice.) O, how I would like to see him and 
thank him for what he then did, and if <his meets his 
eye I would like to have him write to me. We were 
ordered to charge, and charge we did, driving the enemy 
back to the foot of the hill. We made four charges 
that afternoon, and held our ground until out of ammu- 
nition. 

"A little incident happened after our last charge. As 
I was kneeling behind a rock and loading my gun. 
Lieutenant Dennison, of the next compan}^ had picked 
up a gun, and, there being a rock to my left hand, he 



I.KTTKRS. 139 

jumped over my arms and caught his toe in my ram- 
rod, bending it so I could not use it. I scolded him 
for it, but looking around I picked up another one. 
The lyieutenant squatted behind the rock, and was in 
the act of firing his gun when he was struck by a bul- 
let in the leg. With a cry, * I've got it, I've got it,' he 
started for the rear, but before getting far another one 
struck him, so he had to be carried off the field. While 
I was behind the rock I was struck four times, but not 
seriously. My attention was all the time on an open 
space, apparently like a pair of bars, in the stone wall 
at the foot of the hill, behind which the enemy had 
taken cover. Into this I did most of my firing, as it 
was all the time crowded full of men. After using all 
my ammunition I went back to and over the brow of 
the hill, and there saw we were about to be relieved by 
other troops. What there was left of us passed through 
the ranks of the fresh troops, and we made our way to 
the rear. Our regiment, which was raised in Orange 
County, N. Y., and was by its Colonel (Ellis) called 
the 'Orange Blossoms,' with the aid of citizens of the 
county, have erected a nice monument on the ground 
where we fought. This was all the fighting we were 
in at this battle, as we were so badly cut up as to be 
hardly a show of a regiment. 

' ' I saw in a paper some time ago that our twin regi- 
ment, the 86th New York, which was on our right, were 
going to erect a monument on the ground, and I hope 
they will. I tjaink when the battle commenced on the 
second day I was the last man on the extreme left of 
the army. I know that at one time the enemy had 
passed our left flank and were enfilading us; but it was 
only for a minute or two. Our regiment holds a reunion 
each year, this year in Middletown, Orange County, N. 
Y., September 23, 1885. I wish we could see a good 
number of the 86th New York with us. 

"J. Harvky Hanford, 
'' 2dSergt. Co. 'B: I24.th N. V., 
''Unio7iville^ Orange Co., N. K." 



140 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

Extract from a letter published in Orange County 
Press, August 10, 1883. 

* * ^ " Xhe field and woods are as they were ex- 
cept the wheat. I could tell where the Battery stood 
in front of us that did such fearful execution. And 
how often do I think of the Captain's bravery and his 
appeals to us not to let his guns be taken from him." 
(J. Harvey Hanford, \24.th N. Y. Vols., ''Orange 
Blossoms y) 

Extract of letter from Elijah Walker, Colonel 4th 
Maine, Somerville, Mass. 

^^ * >K ' « wz-e took position on the left, our right 
connecting with or near to the 124th New York. A 
part of my command was to the right and a part to the 
left of Smith's Battery, and it was the left of the army 
at that time. I was ordered farther to the left, into the 
Devil's Den, leaving Smith's Battery exposed, against 
which I remonstrated; but Captain Smith said he could 
take care of his guns and did not want my help. I 
moved to the left, across the Den, to the woods, with 
my right forming a skirmish line near the largest works, 
and my left in line of battle near the woods, or bushes, 
at the foot of Round Top. We were attacked by a 
skirmish-line in the Den, and on our left flank by a force 
from the woods. To meet these latter, the left of my 
line was refused and their attack was rejAilsed. I then 
found that the enemy was coming over Smith's guns in 
the rear of my right. Here was a desperate struggle. 
We fell back, fixed bayonets, charged, re-took Smith's 
guns and established our line in rear of them, with my 
right near the 124th New York. My line thus formed, 
my left was exposed, and for a few minutes we had a hot 
time there, but the 99th Penns3dvania Reserves came 
up in our rear and formed on our left, swinging back 
and facing the Den; but they did not go beyond the 



LETTERS. 141 

high ground, and the 4th Maine was the only regiment 
that had a Hne of men in the Devil's Den, July 2, 1863, 
between the hours of 3 and 6 o'clock p. m., all stories 
that have been told to the contrary notwithstanding. 
We held the line until the entire brigade fell back, when 
I was led to the rear by two of my men. My horse had 
been killed, and I had lost the use of one leg." 

^' Capt. James E. Smith. 

''Dear Comrade : In compliance with your request 
that I send you a brief statement of my recollection of 
the part taken by a section of your Battery, the 4th New 
York Independent, in the battle of Gettysburg, from my 
personal observation, I take pleasure in furnishing my 
evidence as to the important and signal service rendered 
by you in that memorable engagement, from my point 
of view. 

' ' As preliminary, however, I will state that the Fifth 
Corps, of which my regiment, the 44th New York, 
formed a part, reached the Gettysburg battle-field on 
the morning of July 2d, 1863, and was stationed on 
the right of the Union line. In the afternoon General 
Sykes in command of the Corps was ordered to protect 
the left of the line, and about 4 p. m. we were moved 
rapidly to the left, where Sickles was engaged with the 
Third Corps in meeting and repelling the assault of 
Longstreet. When we reached the wheat-field we 
were halted and formed in line of battle. At this time 
General Warren, who was then a member of General 
Meade's staff, rode up and urged the necessity of seizing 
' ' lyittle Round Top, ' ' a rocky hill to the left and rear 
of our then line of battle. General Sykes, appreciating 
the importance of W^arren's suggestion, immediately 
detached the Third Brigade of the First Division, consist- 
ing of the 83d Pennsylvania, 20th Maine, 1 6th Michigan, 
and 44th New York, to which latter regiment I had the 
honor to belong; and we were at once turned over to 
General Warren and double-quicked to the rear of I^it- 



142 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

tie Round Top, fronted and moved over the crest in the 
line of battle to a position a little more than half way 
down the slope, the i6th Michigan occupying the 
right, the 44th New York and 83d Pennsylvania the 
centre, and the 20th Maine the left. In front of Little 
Round Top was a wood, beyond which was a wide, 
open space of field, on the further edge of which J 
appeared another piece of woods. As we moved for- " 
ward over the crest of Little Round Top, I noticed 
three heavy lines of battle of the enemy emerging from 
the farther woods and advancing on our front. At the 
foot of Little Round Top, and extending around our 
right, was a ravine or gorge leading out of the woods 
in our front and to our right and rear, beyond which 
was a rocky ridge or spur occupied by a battery then 
in action, apparently forming the left of the Union line 
prior to our occupancy of Little Round Top. 

' ' We had hardly obtained our position in line of bat- 
tle, when our skirmishers were rapidly driven in by the 
advancing enemy, and a heavy assault was made by 
them on the centre of our line by Hood's division of 
Texans, belonging to Longstreet's Corps, and the battle 
for a time raged with terrific ferocity, neither side giv- 
ing an inch. Suddenly about this time we heard the 
whirr of grape, canister and shell over our heads, and 
learned that Hazlett's Battery " D," 5th Regular Artil- 
leiy, had been hauled up by hand and placed in posi- ■ 
tion on the crest of Little Round Top, in our rear. The 1 
combined fire from our line and from this Battery caused 
the rebel line in our front to recoil and surge toward 
the right, and we were relieved from anxiety as to our 
immediate front, and enabled to turn our attention to 
the right, where our line had apparently given away 
and the rebels were surging over the rocky ridge beyond 
the ravine occupied by the battery already mentioned 
as in action at the time we took the position. At this 
Lime I noticed in the ravine at the foot of the hill, im- 
mediately on our right, two guns, apparently without 



le:tters. 143 

any support, being rapidly loaded and fired into a col- 
umn of rebels advancing up the ravine, in the direction 
of the guns, without regular formation, but in a heavy 
mass composed of several regiments, judging from the 
number of stands of colors in close proximity, and ap- 
parently intent on capturing the guns. From the more 
elevated position occupied by our line we were better 
enabled to see this advancing force than the officer in 
command of the guns, and believing he was not fully 
aw^are of his perilous position, I felt much anxiety for 
the safety of the guns, and my special attention was at- 
tracted by the gallant manner in which they were han- 
dled and fought ; the rapidity w^ith which they were 
loaded and fired, and the terrible execution wrought by 
their charges of grape and canister on the head of the 
advancing column of the enemy. More especially was 
my attention attracted to the officer in command, who 
immediately after each discharge rushed out beyond 
the volume of smoke from his guns for the purpose of 
observing the effect of the shot, and the position and 
proximity of the enemy, w^hen he would rush back, 
seize the trail of a gun, slew it around for the purpose 
of directing the fire a little to the right or left, and send 
another charge of canister down the ravine to his front. 
Meantime we were delivering a galling fire into the 
flank of this rebel column, which apparently paid little 
attention to us, being intent on capturing the guns and 
turning our flank. From the effect of our fire and the 
terrible storm of grape and canister poured into the 
head of the column at close range from the two guns in 
the ravine, they went down in scores ; at times two or 
three stands of colors seemed to go to the ground at 
once, but they were immediately picked up, and the col- 
umn, or more properly, mass of rebels, for they had lost 
all regular formation, surged steadily forward until they 
were enveloped by the smoke of the last discharge of 
these two guns in their very faces. At the same time 
the guns were enveloped from the right and flank by the 



144 ^ FAMOUS BATTERY. 

rebel line that rushed over the rocky ridge on the right, 
and the gunners were compelled to abandon the guns 
and were forced back through the opening in our line to 
our right and rear. 

"At this time a portion of the i6th Michigan, form- 
ing the right of our brigade, was forced back to the 
crest of the hill, and our brigade commander, General 
Vincent, was mortally wounded. 

" I did not know then to what battery the two guns 
belonged or who commanded them, but the brave fight 
they made without support, in the very teeth of the ad- 
vancing enemy, and the gallant conduct of their com- 
manding ofiicer, are features so forcibly impressed upon 
my memory as never to be effaced. 

"Some years after the war (1888) when on a visit to 
Gettysburg battle-field with a comradeof my regiment, 
D. W. Harrington, now, and for some years past. Chief 
of the Division of Accounts, U. S. Treasury Depart- 
ment, we were looking over the ground and recalling 
incidents of the battle, when I referred to that related 
above concerning t/ie fight made by these two guns in 
the ravine at the foot of the hill on our right, and re- 
marked that I would give considerable to know the name 
of the officer commanding those guns, and to what bat- 
tery they belonged. 

* ' At the time of this conversation with Comrade Har- 
rington, I noticed a fine appearing, military looking 
gentleman near us who seemed much interested in my 
relation of the incident and who immediately intro- 
duced himself as Captain James E. Smith, who had the 
honor to command a Battery, the 4th New York, to 
which he assured me the section referred to belonged, 
as well as the guns on the rocky ridge to the right of 
the ravine, which I had noticed in action at the time 
we went into position on Little Round Top, and which 
he informed me were captured when the enemy gained 
the ridge. 

" It is needless to say that that gentleman was your- 



i.ktte:rs. 145 

self, and the acquaintance made with you that day has 
continued, and has always been regarded by me as one 
of the pleasant episodes of my life. In my own humble 
opinion, the service performed by you with those two 
guns was of vital importance, at a critical juncture of 
the battle, when the weight and force of the rebel on- 
slaught had shattered our line on the right of Round 
Top, and success was trembling in the balance; when 
the holding of the left with tenacity and determina- 
tion until the victorious enemy could be checked, and 
the gap closed, meant victory or defeat to our army in 
the event of failure. Your services at that critical point 
and time can not, in my opinion, be over-estimated, and 
the record you made on that day is one of which any 
soldier may well feel proud. 

* ' It is generally conceded by writers on the battle, 
that had the line on Round Top held by our brigade 
given away at that time, the result would have been 
far different, and in my opinion, the obstinate fight 
made by you with the two guns in the ravine on the 
right of that line, which had already begun to give 
back, checked the rebel advance, and afforded time to 
meet and drive them back, and thus enabled us to hold 
our position, which possibly we would have been com- 
pelled to abandon, had the column checked by you had 
a few moments more time to have got through the 
opening in our line. 

"I make this statement in justice to you in view 
of my personal observation, because of the fact that 
official reports appear to be confined more especially 
to the operations of that portion of your Battery 
engaged earlier in the action, on the rocky ridge 
farther to the right and front, and to have overlooked 
this section farther to the rear in the ravine, and failed 
to recognize the important service performed by it, and 
because I believe your natural modesty impelled you 
to omit from your ofiicial report anything that might 



146 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

be construed as egotistical, and hence failed to do you 
full justice. 

I am sincerely your friend and comrade, 

Wm. J. Johnston, 
Late 44th N, K, 3rd Brigade, ist Div., ^th Corps. 
Attorney-at-Law, 629 F Street, 
Washington, D. C. 

Extract from a history of the Fifth Army Corps : 

* >i^ >i^ " I'he whole Confederate line was sweeping 
from out the woods in which it had formed, far out- 
flanking the left of the Third Corps, and, where Smith's 
Battery, in air and almost unsupported, on the rocks of 
the Devil's Den, gallantly waited its doom, and between 
that left and the Round Tops the way to the death of 
the Nation lay invitingly open to the confidently ad- 
vancing enemy. * * * General Sykes discovering 
the undefended gorge upon the left of the Third Corps 
line and the inadequacy of the support given to Smith's 
Battery, he suggested to General Birney to close his 
division line upon the Battery, while he (Sykes) would 
fill the gap which would be made by the movement 
with troops from the Fifth Corps." * * ^h 

[Note. — The history by the Comte de Paris has 
much to say upon this subject, but as it is based upon 
the facts already introduced, it is thought to be un- 
necessary to quote therefrom. The same can be said 
of the letters recently published in the Century Maga- 
zine.—]. E. S.] 



re;marks and criticisms. 147 



CHAPTER XII 
Remarks and Criticisms 

It will be noticed that several allusions have been 
made to the protection furnished by the large boulders 
which covered the ground in the vicinity of the ridge. 
I can bear witness that these rocks served to protect, 
and no doubt, preserve the lives of many during that 
battle; to their friendly shelter may be attributed the 
small loss, comparatively speaking, sustained by the 
Battery. Not that the men dodged nor neglected their 
duty; this was by no means the case, but the close 
proximity of the boulders to the guns made it possible 
for the cannoneers to step behind them during the dis- 
charge of their respective pieces. I believe in this 
manner the enemy's artillery was cheated, for notwith- 
standing their excellent and accurate aim, not one man 
in the Battery was touched by their numerous shot and 
shells which landed on the crest, or the countless mis- 
siles sent whizzing through the air, as the result of 
larger metal coming in contact with the rocks. 

The position occupied by the monument erected by 
the State of New York is not upon the ground where 
the guns were stationed; its location is in a hole and 
indicates that the line of the Battery's fire was in the 
direction of the ' ' peach orchard. ' ' 

I am not prepared to say that this unfortunate position 



148 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

of the monument, intended to commemorate the posi- 
tion held by the guns, was the result of design or mis- 
apprehension; certain it is, my efforts were exerted to 
the extent of my ability, backed by such eminent author- 
ity as the late Gen. H. J. Hunt, Chief of Artillery of 
the Army of the Potomac, and Col. George K. Ran- 
dolph, Chief of Third Corps Artillery, not to mention 
the rank and file of the '* Orange Blossoms," who were 
interested spectators for more than one hour, as they 
lay within a few feet of the guns during the artillery 
duel. The only thing I could do was to enter my 
earnest protest. In the future the monument may be 
properly located; at least such is my hope. The fol- 
lowing resolution will show that the Battery Associa- 
tion has done all that it could to have this rectified: 

(Copy.) 

" Headquarters 
•'4th N. Y. iND. Battery Association, 
"781 Eighth Avenue, 
"New York City, October 31^2?, 1888. 

' ' Major Geo. W. Cooney, Secretary. 

' ' Dear Major: I have the honor to submit the follow- 
ing extract from minutes of meeting of above-mentioned 
Association, held on Thursday evening, October 30, 1888: 

" ' Whereas, in the judgment of several members of the 
4th N. Y. Independent Battery Association (who partici- 
pated in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., on July 2, 1863, 
and who have subsequently visited the scene of the con- 
flict), th© location of the Batter}^ Monument erected 
thereon is not historically correct; Therefore, be it 

" * Resolved, That the Honorable Board of New York 
State Commissioners of Gettysburg Monuments be 
most respectfully petitioned to change the location of 



REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. 149 

the Monument, in accordance with views previously ex- 
pressed by 

'* ' Gen. Hunt, Chief of Artillery, A. of P. 
** ' Col. RANDOI.PH, Chief of Artillery, 3d Corps. 
** ' Capt. JAS. E. Smith, Commanding Battery.' 
" Yours ver>^ truly, 
*• (Signed) Jas. S. Fraskr." 

' ' A ding Secretary, ' ' 



During the 25th Anniversary of the battle, July 2, 
1888, the late General Hunt visited Devil's Den in my 
company; standing on the same large rock we occupied 
together twenty-five years before (while the guns on 
our right were actively replying to those of the Confed- 
erates) he said : ' ' Captain, get a painter and have painted 
upon this rock the fact that your left piece rested within 
a few feet, and to the north; of this point, and you will 
have a historical monument located upon the ground 
occupied by your guns on this ridge. If you had placed 
your pieces down where the monument stands, I would 
have placed you in arrest for incompetency. It is not 
flattering to my intelligence as an artillerist to infer that 
I did countenance such a position while a better one 
was to be had." 

I will add that General Hunt repeated the sub- 
stance of the above conversation to General Sickles at 
dinner that very day, and subsequently, in a letter to 
me, which I filed with the Secretary of the New York 
Monument Committee. It is not my purpose to furnish 
the cause — I merely state the facts. 

It may be well to add that when General Hunt and 
I met in 1888, we talked over and explained several 
matters not made clear before, by walking over the 



150 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

ground and pointing out the different positions occupied 
by the Battery, etc. The General expressed his aston- 
ishment at having failed to realize the importance of 
the service rendered by the two pieces in rear of the 
crest. " I never could," said he, "understand about 
those two guns, but now you have made everj^thing 
very plain. If I had known this before writing my 
Cejitury article, it could have been used to good advan- 
tage.* But never mind, I have been asked to write a 
history of the artillery, and may do so; in the mean- 
time you can furnish me with a supplemental statement 
to your official report, which, by the way, is very short, 
and, in my opinion, does not cover the ground fully." 

One word more before I leave this field. Many his- 
tories have been written by various authors whose in- 
formation was obtained from the best and most reliable 
sources, much of it, presumably, from eye-witnesses. 
That of the Compte de Paris is, beyond doubt, the most 
exhaustive and impartial as well as the most correct. 
In no other history, so far as I know, has the slightest 
reference been made to the Battery, notwithstanding 
this undeniable fact, that the Battery opened the battle 
at Devil's Den and closed it just in rear of the ridge, so 
far as the troops of the Third Corps were concerned. 

Without a desire to appear conspicuous, I assert now 
for the first time publicly, that I was the very last com- 
missioned officer, and, I believe, the last person, to with- 
draw from the Federal left, occupied by and attached to 
Ward's Brigade. I arrive at this conclusion in this 
manner, to wit: I sent every man, horse and carriage 
into the woods on a road leading to the ' * wheat-field, ' ' 
following in rear until the woods were passed. Those 



REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. IS^ 

who remained behind me were disabled and were be- 
3'Ond the ridge, then held by the enemy. 

I allude to the ground in front and west of Little 
Round Top, where the left of the Third Corps fought 
until relieved by the presence of the Fifth Corps on the 
summit of Little Round Top. For not one moment 
of the four long hours consumed on the ridge and at 
the position a few rods in rear, was my attention di- 
verted from the work before us. Every movement of 
the enemy was closely observed, the panorama lay be- 
fore me like a map. I believed then as I do now, that 
my command had done nobly, and that their efforts 
would be duly recognized. I believed then, as I do 
now, that our position was wrested from us by men 
equally brave and determined, superior only in point of 
numbers. But time passed from days to weeks and 
from weeks to months, and so on into long years with- 
out the scantiest evidence in the w^ay of recognition. I 
became careless and made up my mind to forget that 
the Battery had been engaged in this battle. 

At last, twenty-two years after the conflict, an en- 
listed man who served in the ranks of the ' ' Orange 
Blossoms" made honorable mention of the Battery 
(see J. Harvey Hanford's letter), and I am proud to 
know there are other men, too, now living who can tes- 
tify to the conduct of the Battery and who have not 
forgotten the danger shared on the rock-bound crest of 
Devil's Den. At this time the Rebellion Records had 
not been published. 

Extract from a letter written by General Hunt in 
1883 in response to one asking why the Battery had 
not been credited with having rendered some service at 
Gettysburg July 2, 1863: 



152 A FAMOUS BATTTKRY. 

Washington, D. C, August 9, 1883. 
* * ^ " I do not wonder at your feeling sore be- 
cause little or no mention has been made of your Bat- 
tery. When the war closed all official papers were 
taken in charge by the War Department, and carefully 
locked up where none but the initiated had access to 
them. * * * I remember that your Battery occu- 
pied a position cut off from the general view by a strip 
of woods. There was no Corps Commander there to be 
boomed, consequently, no newspaper correspondent. 
* >K * Your Battery imposed a delay on Hood's 
troops at Devil's Den, which gave time to Warren to 
hasten forward defenders for lyittle Round Top, which, 
it is claimed, was lost by the enemy by less than five 
minutes, hence the importance of your fight at Devil's 
Den, of which little or no notice has been taken. They 
did things strangely in those days. ' ' 

Extract from endorsement made by General Hunt, 
Soldier's Home, Washington, February 23, 1886: 

"Captain J. E. Smith commanded the 4th New York 
Battery, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac. * * * 
At the Battle of Gettysburg he greatly distinguished 
himself and his Battery, iinder my personal observation, 
in the advanced position on the left of the Third Corps 
line. 

" His Battery was posted by him on Devil's Den and 
maintained its position so long as a man was left to 
protect it." 

From a letter to General Sheridan: 

* * * '' Captain Smith, late of the 4th New 
York Battery, was an excellent officer and greatly dis- 
tinguished himself at Gettysburg, where his Battery, 
alone and but feebly supported, bore the first assault of 
Hood's Division on Devil's Den, in front of Round Top 
in the battle of the second day — (Sickles)." 



RKMARKS AND CRITICISMS. 1 53 

There is nothing on record from the pen of Major- Gen- 
eral D. E. Sickles, who commanded the Corps until he 
fell on the evening of the second day, but I have many 
assurances of his high opinion of the Battery and its 
services at Gettysburg, as the following indicates : 

Extract from a letter to the Secretary of the Depart- 
ment of the Interior : 

* * * *'At the battle of Gettysburg, where the 
4th New York Independent Battery is recognized by 
historians for its brilliant record." 

Extract from a letter to the Secretary of War: 

* * * " Captain Smith's conduct at Gettysburg 
in the defense of Round Top, at a critical moment on 
July 2, 1863, attracted my personal attention and was 
strongly commended by me on the field." 

General Sickles has been severely criticised for ad- 
vancing his command as he did on the morning of the 
2d of July, 1863. Having served in the Third Corps 
under this distinguished officer (part of the time at 
headquarters as Chief of Artillery) I may be pardoned 
for here referring to this controversy. 

I have noticed that those who shed their blood, or 
who fought in the ranks of this gallant and well-tried 
old Corps, on the advanced line, have found no fault 
with their Corps Commander. They know that they 
were never ordered forward while he remained in the 
rear. They remember that the old Corps flag, repre- 
senting where their commander was to be found, was 
ever in sight, and that he fell, desperately wounded, 
right in the midst of the men who were struggling to 



154 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

resist the onslaught of Longstreet's overwhelming le- 
gions. 

I will not presume to place my opinion as to the mer- 
its of the disputed position beside that of such high au- 
thorities as Generals Grant and Sheridan, who coin- 
cided in the view that ' ' the advanced position was the 
only one to fight on." I have undoubted authority for 
stating that General Grant fully endorsed General Sick- 
les' s course, and refer to the copy of a letter, given be- 
low, from Gov. A. J. Curtin, repeating the substance of 
a conversation he had with General Sheridan on this 
subject. This should be sufficient to vindicate the wis- 
dom and foresight of the one man who keenly realized 
the critical situation of the Federal left, and who had 
the nerve to meet the threatened danger with an inad- 
equate force. 

But he did not take upon himself the responsibility of 
this movement without consulting and endeavoring to 
secure the sanction of General Meade. The latter, how- 
ever, seemed to attach slight importance to Sickles' s 
urgent appeals, and appeared to think that the danger 
of any attack upon our left was too remote to be seriously 
considered. But the result proved that Sickles was 
right, and impartial history will accord him the justice 
and the honor due to his military genius. 

The following is the letter above referred to : 

" Bki.i,EFonte, Pa., October i8, 1889. 

" Major-General Dan' I. E. Sickles, 

''New York City. 
' * My dear General : I repeated to j^ou a conversation 
I had with General Sheridan before his death and after 



REMARKS AND CRITICISMS. 1 55 

his examination of the field at Gettysburg and a full 
study of the strategy of both armies, and at your re- 
quest wrote a letter to you, which I had supposed you 
had received until we met at Gettysburg in September. 

** General Sheridan did not hesitate to say to me 
without disrespect to other ofiicers there, that the move- 
ments on the 2d of July were well advised and proper, 
and as it was the design of the enemy to turn the flank 
of the army, that the attack made at that time and un- 
der the circumstances, was very important to prevent 
their advance. I am very clear in my judgment as to 
the statement of the General, and inferred from what he 
said that were it not for the attack made on the 2d, the 
flank would likely have been turned. 

* ' When last at Gettysburg, with my recollection of 
what the General said to me, I went overall the ground 
and made an examination, and with the historical re- 
ports of the battle was confirmed that the views of that 
distinguished ofiicer are correct. 

' ' You stated to me at Gettysburg that you never re- 
ceived my letter, and I then said to you that the fact 
that you had not acknowledged its receipt gave me no 
little surprise, but I am now happy to make this state- 
ment and explanation, as surely justice should be done 
to you and all other men who bore so active and in3por- 
tant a part in that long and terrible war. 

' ' I remain as ever, truly your friend, 
" (Signed.) A. G. Curtin," 



1.56 



A FAMOUS BATTERY. 



CHAPTER XIII 



Poetic Tributes to the Battery 




Capt. Jack Crawford, 
widely known as the ' ' Poet- 
Scout, ' ' the author of the fol- 
lowing spirited poem, needs 
no introduction to the 
American people. With his 
vSplendid Army record when 
a boy, his subsequent fame 
as Chief of Scouts for General Crook in his Indian 
campaigns, and his popularitj^ as an off-hand speaker, 
he is a familiar figure throughout our country. 

A Famous Battery and its Day of Glory. 

Respectfully Dedicated to the Gallant Survivors of Smith's 4th New York 
Independent Battery. 

Sultrily dawned that summer day. 

On the field where the waiting forces lay — 

On the field of Gett3^sburg, where soon 

The forms of the slain would be thickly strewn. 

Up, like a ball of lurid fire. 

The red sun mounted higher and higher, 

Casting its shimmering, fiery rain 



poe:tic tributes. 157 

O'er the waving billows of ripening grain, 
That waited the reaper's gleaming blade, 
While near to its golden borders laid 
A human harvest, with bated breath, 
Awaiting the Reaper whose name is Death. 
Eagerly gleamed each warrior eye — 
Defiantly floated the flags on high — 
One, the emblem of Union bands, 
The other borne by disloyal hands. 

Over the face of the peaceful farms 
Echoed the clash of contending arms. 
As, locked in the battle's dread embrace. 
The smoke-grimed foemen stood face to face, 
Hurling death to each other's ranks. 
Blazing; with fire from center to flanks, 
Batteries belching their heated breath, 
Over the carnival of death. 

Up o'er a steep and rock-bound height. 
Brave men toiled with unflagging might, 
Dragging their guns to a point o'erhead, 
Where hoofs of horses could never tread ; 
Up to a point that must be maintained, 
Spite of the leaden shower that rained, 
Spite of the flocks of screaming shell 
That filled the air with the music of hell. 
Onward, upward, those heroes pressed. 
Till their guns peered over the rocky crest, 
And hurled their volleys of death away, 
To check the advancing tide of gray. 
Perched on a rock the leader stood, 



158 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

Watching the ranks of the chieftain Hood — 

Watching the flight of his well-aimed shot — 

Watching the carnage their mad speed wrought. 

Advancing, recoiling, advancing again, 

Came surging billows of gray-clad men, 

Striving to occupy that crest, 

Striving those deadly guns to wrest 

From the grasp of that brave, heroic band. 

That hurled forth death with unsparing hand. 

Waving aloft his glittering sword, 

Cheering his men with approving word, 

Facing the storm with his loyal breast. 

Stood he there on that boulder's crest. 

Never a thought of undying fame, 

Never a hope of an honored name 

Nerved him to stand on that rocky height. 

Where his form would the rebel shot invite. 

Heard he only his chief's command: 

** Hold this height with unflijiching hajid ! 

Never release it while you ' ve got 

A gunner left who can fire a shot ! " 

That the motive which held him there, 

His form outlined in the smoke-tinged air — 

No supporting force in his rear, 

No reinforcements drawing near, 

Naught but his own unaided band, 

To hold that point from the rebel hand. 

lyongstreet's heroes of many a fight 
Came charging up o'er the rocky height — 
Came with their vengeful eyes awarm. 
With the valor which nerves the warrior's arm, 



POETIC TRIBUTES. 159 

Closing each rent the wild shells made 

In their long gray ranks as if on parade. 

Steadily, swiftly, like ocean tide, 

They surged up the mountain's rocky side, 

Until their disloyal feet were pressed 

To the blood-stained soil of the mountain crest. 

The gallant gunners were forced at last, 

Like leaves in the teeth of a tempest blast, 

To quit their places, but not for long, 

For up from the rear, like a cheering song, 

Came a slogan that caused their hearts to leap. 

As the ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' charged up the steep. 

Backward the rebel ranks were hurled, 

And Union's flag was again unfurled 

O'er the guns (that were) for a moment lost ; 

Then gained again, at a fearful cost 

To the daring warriors of lyongstreet's Corps, 

And again did their fierce, ear-deafening roar 

Belch forth in chorus the song of death, 

As the missiles sped from their fiery breath. 

Thinning the ranks of the fleeing foe, 

That reeled and staggered beneath the blow; 

Nor cooled a throat of a brazen gun. 

Till the storm had passed and the day was won. 



A memory, now, of near three decades, 

Are the scenes 'mid Gettysburg's hills and glades. 

When the dawn of a summer day gave birth 

To a roar of battle heard 'round the earth. 

Few live who so nobly then did stand 

To the guns of that gallant chief's command, 



l6o A FAMOUS BATTERY 

And low on a bed of ceaseless pain, 

That hero-commander long has lain — 

lyain unflinching as when he stood, 

Watching the ranks of the dauntless Hood — 

lyain with laboring, pain-clogged breath, 

Calmly awaiting the call of Death. 

Men who no brighter laurels wore 

Have trodden the path to death before. 

And a world has wept in distress most dire 

When the looked-for tidings flashed o'er the wire, 

And every city along their track 

Was swarthed in emblems of sombre black. 

And yet the grief of a world can not 

Eclipse the sorrow of those who fought 

With the gallant Smith on that fearful day, 

When he held the disloyal hordes at bay — 

No tears so warm as the comrade tears. 

When the tidisgs will reach the comrade ears, 

That he whose presence on that red field 

Was an inspiration to them that steeled 

Their valiant bosoms, and nerved their arms 

To work in face of disloyal swarms. 

Has passed from the scenes of earth away 

To the gladsome light of Eternal Day. 

Capt. Jack Crawford, 

'' The Poet Scoutr 



poe:tic tributes. 



i6i 




'-^^ 



The author of the poem below is well known in 
Washington as a writer of graceful verse. He has 
published a volume of his fugitive pieces, entitled 
"Sprigs of Acacia," which is much admired. 

^'Devil's Den." 

Gettysburg, July 2, iS6j. 

BY COMRADE SAMUEL ADAMS WIGGIN. 

The day in matchless beauty dawned 
in peace, 

The sun in glowing splendor wreathed 
the summer skies ; 

Its golden chariot with its smoking 
steeds 

Passed the proud zenith of its path of 
light. 

The air waxed hot and hotter still, 
Until the heavens like molten brass became. 
Fierce rays from torrid zones of living flame 
Descended on the verdant vales and hills. 
On serried columns of the hosts of war, 
On dashing cavalry — Artillery's dread array — 
The furious cohorts of the Boys in Gray. 
Desperate, impetuous as a hope forlorn. 
Right onward dashed the battalions of the South, 
Hood's bravest legions — valorous sons of Mars, 
Longstreet's artillery in battle's set array. 
Upon the lofty crest of famous Devil's Den, 
Perched the brave boys of New York Battery Four, 
Sons of the Empire State, valiant and tried and true, 
They faced the rushing foe and held the fatal pass 
'Gainst overwhelming legions of the Boys in Gray. 
Close by the old Fourth Maine and "Orange Blossoms" 



brav 



e, 



1 62 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

A living wall of grand, heroic souls, 

That for the Nation's honor scorned the monster death, 

In all his fearful forms of carnage, strife and blood, 

They held the pass until the Boys in Blue, 

On Little Round Top's crest, in mighty legions stood, 

Massed in full force and eager for the fray, 

They held the pass. They fought like heroes true; 

Death and destruction swept the Southern lines; 

The Devil's Den ablaze with fires of hell 

Let loose the " Dogs of War" on the advancing foe. 

With fangs of steel and scorching breath of flame, 

Until the vale of Plum Run, battle's tide 

Was piled with gasping heaps of mangled forms in gray. 

A fearful, desperate fight of life and sudden death 

For freedom and the Union's sacred cause ; 

'Gainst all the martial flower of chivalry's proud might. 

Three hours they held the pass, then spiked the guns, 

Fell back on Round Top — facing still the foe 

And Gettysburg, that saved the Union fair, 

Sheds lustre on those heroes banded there. 

Smith's New York Independent Battery Four, 

Won there on Devil's Den renown forevermore. 

The "Old Fourth Maine " that to the rescue came, 

Brave ' ' Orange Blossoms ' ' on the scroll of fame. 

In golden characters are written there, 

The precious heritage of noble heroes rare. 

Crown them with fadeless wreaths — our pride and 

boast — 
Deck their broad breasts with Stars of Freedom's host, 
Walk softly where their dying comrades fell, 



POETIC TRIBUTES. 1 63 

Loud let 3^our glorious paeans for the living swell, 

Room for the war-worn veterans true and bold, 

Room for the noble boys fast growing old, 

Honors and station, place and laurel crown 

For heroes of that day of Gettysburg renown, 

That saved the Nation and the Union sweet. 

All hail the boys, the boys with way-worn feet. 

The truest souls, the grandest hearts that beat. 

All love and praise for Boys in Bonny Blue, 

Our stalwart heroes, tender, brave and true. 

No blot'of shame, no missing radiant star, 

Mars the dear flag they saved in Freedom's glorious war. 

Rest on your laurels bright, a fearful fight you fought 

With ransom of your blood the Nation's life was bought. 



164 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 



CHAPTER XIV 

Back to Washhigto7t — Disbanded 

Thk Battery continued with the Third Corps until 
the army reached Boonsboro, Md. General Hunt then 
directed me to return to Frederick and turn over all the 
ordnance stores appertaining to the ten-pounder Par- 
rotts, and then proceed to Washington and procure a 
battery of six light twelve-pounders — Napoleons. 

Owing to the washing away of a culvert on the B. 
& O. R. R., I decided to make the trip during the 
night on horse-back. It was a long ride. The debris 
of burning forage wagons, destroyed by Mosby and his 
men, were numerous, but beyond a few sutlers who 
were trying to reach the army, we did not meet any one. 
At one point on the road we came upon four or five of 
these (sutlers) sleeping on long wooden benches on the 
porch of* a country inn. I did not like to pass them 
without ascertaining who they were, therefore instruct- 
ing Lieutenant Goodman, who accompanied me, to ride 
on one side of the orderly while I took the other, we 
dismounted, handed the reins to the orderly, and drew 
our revolvers, ready for use. 

We approached from different directions, and on 
reaching the benches called on the sleepers to hold up 
their hands. Not being able to arouse them in this 



BACK TO WASHINGTON. 165 

gentle manner, I took hold of and capsized a bench, 
when a comical scene occurred. 

Every man jumped to his feet and stretched both 
hands as high as he could hold them. Explanations 
followed; they had taken us for Mosby's Guerillas, 
while we were in doubt as to the status of the sleepers. 

Before leaving Frederick I directed Lieutenant Mc- 
Lean to march to Sandy Hook, Md., with the men and 
horses, where I expected to rejoin the army. Being 
detained some days in Washington, D. C, I found upon 
my arrival at Sandy Hook that the army had crossed 
the Potomac two days before. The bridge was still in 
position and I proposed to follow, but General Lock- 
wood, then in command of Harper's Ferry, telegraphed 
the situation to General Halleck, and I was ordered 
back to Washington. Transportation by rail over the 
single track to the Capital was difficult to obtain and 
uncertain in its results, blockades and smash ups being 
of daily occurrence. So it was decided to send the 
Battery by canal, in charge of Lieutenant McLean. A 
number of empty boats were pressed into service, the 
guns, carriages and baggage loaded, tow-lines impro- 
vised from prolonges, and the Battery horses, steeds that 
** had smelt the battle from afar" — and near, too — took 
the places of the patient mule on the tow-path, and the 
company gayly started for Washington, some eighty 
miles away. 

The sturdy animals bent to their unaccustomed work, 
and as the flotilla pulled around a bend and the lux- 
uriant foliage on the banks shut out the camps and 
stores and dire confusion of "the Hook," we gently 
glided into the quiet reaches of the canal, the broad, rock- 



1 66 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

strewn river shimmering in the sun on the right (or 
"starboard side," as the boys commenced to call it), 
bordered on the west by the mighty spurs of the Blue 
Ridge, with not a sound to break the stillness, it was as 
if they had left the riotous tumult of war for some 
lonely land of rest. 

In truth, there could be no greater contrast to the 
awful storms of battle from which we had just emerged 
at Gettysburg. The scream of shells and the thunder- 
ous roar of artillery were replaced by the soft notes of 
birds twittering in the trees, whose branches swayed in 
the water, or the distant caw of a solitary crow circling 
over the quiet river. 

It was hard to realize, as the Battery floated down, 
out of sight or sound of the exciting life of which it 
had been part and parcel for two years, shut in from 
the world by a green wall of verdure on either bank, 
that only a few days before it was battling for life amid 
a quarter of a million of armed soldiers. 

That the boys enjoyed this unwonted break in their 
soldier life was very apparent. Stretched on the deck 
through the long summer day, some smoking, some dis- 
cussing the recent battle, others sleeping, or lazily observ- 
ing the scenery, it was an Elysian dream to the weary 
marches, the rough handling, the desperate fighting to 
which the Battery had become inured. 

Then the ' ' foraging ' ' was something to delight a 
veteran's heart. It was so easy to leap from the boats 
onto the bank, scurry up the hills to a farm house and 
return loaded with milk, butter, eggs, fruit, etc., and 
that without having to watch every bush and tree, as 
in the old days in Virginia, for a possible sharpshooter, 



BACK TO WASHiNG'fON. 167 

eager to send his leaden compliments from the end of 
a rifle. 

But this pleasant kind of soldiering could n't last 
long, and about noon of the third day out the boats 
pulled into Georgetown, where I met them. 

The Battery was disembarked and marched through 
Washington to Camp Barry, northeast of the city. 
This was supposed to be a recruiting camp, but during 
our stay here it w^as a camp of misery and degradation. 
A Lieutenant- Colonel Monroe, of Rhode Island, was in 
command, whom I learned to heartily despise. He 
proved to be a martinet of the meanest kind; we had 
trouble; I made application to be ordered to the front; 
it was returned, disapproved, with the endorsement, 
" This officer desires to evade duty, etc." 

It appeared odd to me, that asking to be sent to the 
field should be construed as a "desire to evade duty." 
However, I made another application. This time I ap- 
pealed to General Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army 
of the Potomac. My application passed through Gen- 
eral Meade's headquarters, and was referred to General 
Halleck, who caused an order to be issued at once, direct- 
ing me to report, etc., without delay. In this manner 
I defeated an attempt to convert our heroes of Gettys- 
burg into laborers, for the purpose of keeping up this 
" pet " camp by sweeping and digging in the hot sun 
from morning until night. (Monroe was sent to the 
field as Chief of Artillery, Fifth Corps; his record was 
not brilliant, as might be supposed.) 

One glorious August morning at 5 A. m. we left Camp 
Barry, without a pang of regret, marching to Alexan- 
dria, Va. , where I was to wait for an escort. 



1 68 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

The army was stationed near Warrenton, Va., at this 
time and Mosby had been troublesome on the roads 
leading from Washington into Virginia. I did not be- 
lieve he would molest us, therefore, with an escort of six 
(a sergeant and five enlisted men of the cavalry), I de- 
cided to move forward. Four of my escort were sent to 
the front and two to the rear; two of those in front were 
instructed to ride well out on side roads and remain on 
guard until the Battery passed, when they w^ere to re- 
join their comrades in front. The guns were so dis- 
posed that the front, flanks and rear were well protected; 
a surprise was out of the question. 

At Alexandria I had found a train of sutlers anxious 
to get to the army. They were determined to follow the 
Battery. I plainly explained to them my intention to 
prevent Mosby from capturing their train, if possible, 
and told them that if the enemy got among their wagons 
I would use canister without regard to sutlers. 

*' Now," said I, "if you care to take the chances, all 
right." 

They took the chances, and I had a train fully half a 
mile long as far as Centerville. We were not interfered 
with, and reached the army in due time, and were as- 
signed to the artillery reserve. 

After the march over the Rapidan in pursuit of Lee's 
army, (which we found), we quietly slipped back into 
camp near Warrenton, and remained there until the 
Battery was disbanded by order of the Secretary of War. 

Previous to this it had been reduced from six to four 
guns by reason of its decimated ranks. 

While in camp here the spirit of discontent, alwaj^s 
prevalent while in winter quarters, again manifested it- 



BACK TO WASHINGTON. 1 69 

self. Those enlisted men who believed they were un- 
j ustly held in service, again took advantage of the situ- 
ation to agitate the question of their discharge. 

The discussion of this matter first began in 1 86 1 , while 
we were camped in Lower Maryland. I at that time 
made an application to have the Battery sent to its regi- 
ment, the First Engineers, New York Volunteers. The 
facts were plainly set forth, as a true copy herewith will 
attest. I had no desire to have the men retained as ar- 
tillerists against their will, knowing the matter would 
give more or less cause for dissension. But my papers 
were returned disapproved and the claim disregarded by 
reason of the exigencies of the service. The following 
is a true copy, with endorsements, etc. : 

"Camp Hooker, Lower Potomac, Md. 

' ' 28th January, 1862. 
''Brig. Gen' I Joseph Hooker, 

" Commanding Divisio7i. 
Sir: — The Battery under m)^ command was organ- 
ganized 4th September, 1861, as Company 'I^' of Col. 
Serrell's Volunteer Engineer Regiment, to do duty as a 
Battery of Light Artillery, and was mustered into the 
United Service as such, and a large majority of the men 
composing it were enlisted under the impression, found- 
ed on representations in good faith made to them at 
the time, that the Battery would be attached to the said 
regiment, and that they would receive engineers' pay, 
viz. : $17 per month. We left New York 25th October, 
by order of Col. Serrell, and arrived in Washington 26th 
October. On the 27th, reported to General Barry and 
made application to be equipped as a battery of light ar- 
tillery, and to be attached to the above regiment, as 
originally contemplated. General Barry then informed 
me that he could 'not equip us as a battery attached to 



170 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

said regiment, inasmucli as all batteries hitherto attach- 
ed to regiments of infantry had been or would be de- 
tached therefrom, under orders from headquarters, at the 
same time expressing his readiness to equip us as an in- 
dependent battery of light artillery, in which case the 
men would receive the ordinary pay of artillerists, viz. : 
$13 per month. He further led me to suppose that it 
was a matter of much doubt w^hether any portion of the 
regiment would receive more than the pay of second 
class engineers, and stated that our being organized 
and equipped at that time as an independent battery 
would not militate against our being attached as a bat- 
tery to the regiment at some future time, should our ap- 
plication therefor meet with the approval of the proper 
authorities. At the suggestion of General Barry I com- 
municated these facts to the men of my command, and 
all except thirteen expressed their willingness, under 
the circumstances, to serve as an independent batter3\ 
I then reported to General Barry, and asked that we be 
so equipped. On 2d and 4th November w^e received 
our battery, and have done duty as light artillery since 
that time. On 25th November w^eleft Washington un- 
der orders from Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, 
and arrived here and reported 27th November. Since our 
arrival here it has been ascertained from letters from mem- 
bers of the Volunteer Engineer Regiment that they had 
been paid off at the rate of $17 a month, the pay of first- 
class engineers, and Colonel Serrell has given us to un- 
derstand that he has been assured that, if we could be 
attached to his command, the men would receive pay at 
the same rate, as they were told at the time of their en- 
listment. 

' • Under all the circumstances of the case, therefore, 
of which the above is a brief, impartial statement, we 
deem ii eminently proper respectfull}^ to make applica- 
tion that we be attached to the said regiment as a bat- 
tery of light artillery, as originally contemplated, and 
that the non-commissioned officers and privates of this 



BACK TO WASHINGTON. 17I 

command be declared to be entitled to pay at the rate 
fixed by law for the payment of engineers. 

' ' The above statement is made at the request of the 
non-commissioned officers and privates of my command 
and respectfully submitted for your consideration. 
" I am, General, your most obedient servant, 
"(Signed) J. E. Smith, 

" Capt. Comm'd'g 4th N. Y. Battery:' 

" (Endorsement.) 
' ' Respectfully submitted with the request that it may 
receive the immediate attention of the Major-General 
Commanding. 

"Joseph Hooker, 

' ' Brig. - Ge7i . Co77im ' d 'g. 

"Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, 

"-January 2g, 1862. 

' ' Respectfully returned to Brigadier- General Barry, 
Chief of Artillery. 

' ' By command of Major-Generai^ McCleLLAN. 
"James A, Hardie, 

"/./. Col. A. D. C." 

" (Endorsement.) 
* '[Respectfully returned. This battery is now attached 
to Hooker's Division, jand I have no other battery avail- 
able, at present, to take its place. It can not be spared 
from its present duties. Captain Smith is somewhat in 
error in one of his statements. I never informed him 
that his battery might eventually be attached to Ser- 
rell's Regt., but on the contrary told him most posi- 
tively that it was against the orders of Major-General 
McClellan for batteries to be attached to Regt'sof foot, 
and I doubtless told him, as I have many others under 
similar circumstances, that if Serrell's Regt. belonged 
to the Army of the Potomac, the Battery might possibly 
be assigned to the same Division. I furthermore di- 
rected Captain Smith to inform his men that their pay 



17^ AI^AMOUS BATTERY. 

would be that of light artillery soldiers — no more. 
If it is decided to send this company to its regiment 
(which is now at Port Royal) I would respectfully recom- 
mend that the guns, horses, and all other light art'y. 
equipment be left with this army, where they are much 
needed. 

' ' (Signed) Wilwam F. Barry, 

Brig. Gen., Chief of ArVy. 
fan. JO, '62. 

The matter came up again in the early spring of '62, 
and Major Wainwright, Division Chief of Artillery, was 
authorized by General Hooker to investigate the matter. 
The cause of this second trouble was owing to a few 
persistent enlisted men who made false representations 
of the affair to the General, not flattering to myself; but 
I had done all in my power to have the men sent to the 
regiment. By following the instructions of Colonel 
Serrell, I had gotten into difi&culty, — whereas, if I had 
quietly remained in New York and allowed myself to 
be commissioned as Major, no blame could rest upon 
me. After sacrificing my personal interests for what I 
believed to be the best interests of the company, I now 
felt conscious of my error; and, as before stated, had no 
wish to prevent the men from being transferred, even if 
I had the power, which I had not. 

The result of the second, or Wainwright, investiga- 
tion was not imparted to me. I only know that no fur- 
ther action was taken; there was no further trouble on 
this score until May and June, 1863, when Captain 
Randolph, Chief of Corps Artillery, was directed by 
General Sickles to look into the matter, presumably in 
response to a communication from the men. 

This also ended in smoke. But in the early winter of 



DISBANDED. 173 

1863 some men deserted, and, returning to New York 
City, were discharged by order of the Supreme Court 
of the State on the ground of false enhstment. This, 
of course, was liable to have a demoralizing effect on 
the Battery, so I then applied to have the balance o 
the men, who were enlisted under the same conditions^ 
or promise, transferred to the regiment or discharged 
the service. 

The matter was referred to the Secretary of War, who 
ordered that those men who enlisted, etc., be transferred 
to the regiment, and the balance of the company trans- 
ferred to the batteries from the State to serve the bal- 
ance of their term of enlistment. Those officers who 
did not wish to go to the regiment were mustered out of 
service. 

And so ended the career of the 4th New York Inde- 
pendent Battery, after a service of two years, three 
months and nineteen days, having been disbanded De- 
cember 23, 1863. 

" Ne'er shall its glory fade." 

Many of the men who served the balance of their 
term of service in other batteries distinguished them- 
selves and reflected honor on the old Battery by their 
bravery and ability, some of them returning home with 
a captain's commission. One of these was John B. 
Johnston, mentioned in the early part of this history as 
having been wounded at Williamsburg. 

While on this subject I am reminded that a certain 
enlisted man, one Thomas Graham, who was discharged 
in December, 1861, on certificate of disability, vol- 
unteered this remarkable piece of information to the G. 



174 A FAMOUS BATTKRY. 

A. R. Post to which he had made application for mem- 
bership : 

"I enlisted in Company "ly," ist Regiment Engi- 
neers, New York Volunteers, but the company was 
surreptitiously run away from New York by Capt. J. 
K. Smith and forced to serve as a battery. ' ' 

I hope Graham has made a better record as a mem- 
ber of the G. A. R. than he did as a soldier for the 
short period that he wore " Uncle Sam's " uniform. 

In regard to the officers of the Battery, I am responsi- 
ble for the first four Ivieutenants. Great pains were 
taken to make proper selections, but mistakes will 
occur. 

Joseph E. Nairn, First lyieutenant, Sr., served three 
months in Varian's Battery, and by his soldierly bear- 
ing then attracted my attention. While he was con- 
nected with the 4th New York Battery his conduct 
fully sustained the high estimate I had placed upon his 
qualifications and character. 

Charles H. Scott, First Lieutenant, Jr., served as a 
commissioned officer in one of the Connecticut regi- 
ments in Tyler's Brigade in the three months' service. 
I thought he had some experience which would be 
serviceable. 

William T. McLean, Second Lieutenant, Jr., also 
served three months in Varian's Battery. 

J. Courtland Parker, Second Lieutenant, Jr., was a 
young lawyer of great promise. His early taking off 
cut short a career which had given evidence of much 
usefulness. • 



appe:ndix. 175 



APPENDIX. 

Extract from Volume i, Report of Adjutant- General 

of the State of New York, 1868 (page 169). 

First Troop Washington Grays. 

" Headquarters 
"Squadron Washington Grays, N. G. S. N. Y. 
"New York, December 24., 1867. 

* * The following is a brief sketch of the services ren- 
dered to the U. S. Government, during the late war, by 
the above company : 

"In April, 1861, being then attached to the 8th 
Regiment, N. Y. S. Militia, and known and designated 
as company "I," they were, with that regiment, the 
first to respond to the call of the President for 75,000 
men, for the term of three months, to aid in the sup- 
pression of the rebellion. They accordingly enlisted in 
the United States service on the i8th day of April, 1861, 
as an artillery corps, under the command of Captain 
Joshua M. Varian, now Brigadier- General of the Third 
Brigade, N. G., to serve the aforementioned term of 
three months, and to be disposed of during the term of 
their enlistment as was thought proper by their superior 
officers. They left New York on the morning of the 
19th, on the steamer Montgomery, under sealed orders, 
which were not made known till the steamer was well 
out to sea. This was the first knowledge the troop had 
of their destination, which was Annapolis, Md., and at 



176 A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

which place they arrived on the 2 2d, and were rejoined 
by the infantry of the 8th Regiment, N. Y. S. M., un- 
der command of Col. Lyons. The company had been 
detached from the regiment on leaving New York, as 
one vessel was not sufficiently large to accommodate the 
whole command. After being quartered with the regi- 
ment a few days, they were again separated by the in- 
fantry being ordered on to Washington, while the troop 
remaining at Annapolis, performed guard duty on the 
Annapolis river and Chesapeake Bay with the 13th Reg- 
ment, N. Y. S. M., under command of Col. Smith. 

The post at that time was under command of General 
Benjamin F. Butler. A few days after the departure of 
the regiment from Annapolis, two detachments of the 
company with one company of the 13th Regiment, by 
orders of General Butler, embarked on the steam tug 
Stevens for the purpose of regaining the light ship for- 
merly stationed at Smith's Point, on the Chesapeake 
Bay, which had been taken by the rebels and placed in 
a position in a small creek running in from the bay — 
their object being to mislead vessels in the night. The 
vessel was found about two miles from the entrance of 
Smith Creek, with no one on board to dispute the right 
of possession, and not until lines had been made fast 
and the vessel had begun to move out of the creek, did 
^he rebels open fire on the Sieveiis from the shores each 
side, where they had been laying in ambush; four or 
five volleys from the infantry, together with three or 
four rounds of canister completely routed them. They 
proved to be two companies of ist South Carolina regi- 
ment; their loss w^as two killed, a lieutenant and private; 
seven wounded and thirteen prisoners. Three days 
from that time, the troops were ordered to rejoin the 8th 
Regiment at Arlington Heights, to strengthen the forces 
about the Capitol at Washington. It was with the 
regiment ten days, when it was again separated by being 
prdered to join a Connecticut Brigade, and proceed to 
the village of Falls Church, the farthest outpost from 



APPENDIX. 177 

Washington, where it did very effective service on the 
roads leading from Falls Church to Vienna and Fairfax 
Court-House, capturing a number of rebel scouts and 
spies; also in obtaining a great amount of valuable in- 
formation. In the grand advance, which commenced 
on the 14th of July, this troop, with a battery of six- 
pound brass field pieces, had the right of the line of the 
middle division, commanded by Gen. E. D. Keyes and 
General Tyler, and, at Fairfax Court-House, fired the 
first ball that opened the campaign in northeastern Vir- 
ginia, driving the rebels in the wildest confusion. The 
troop continued in the advance of the division through 
Fairfax Court-House, thence to Germantown, and so on 
to Centre ville, meeting with very little opposition. After 
leaving the Court-House, they were then relieved by 
A3'er'sU. S. Batter^^ after having been in the advance 
four days, from the 14th to the i8th of July; was then 
held in reserve during the battle of Centreville. On 
the 1 8th, were preparing to go into action, when our 
forces were called off by General McDowell, command- 
ing Department of Virginia. Its time expired on the 
17th, and on the 20th it returned to Washington, and 
from thence to New York, where it w^as mustered out of 
service by reason of expiration of term of enlistment. 

Immediately after being mustered out, lyieut. J. E. 
Smith, with about forty members of the troop, formed 
the nucleus of the famous 4th New York Independent 
Battery, which served during the war with as bright a 
record as any in the whole army. What w^as left then 
of the troop was reorganized under Captain Robert 
Brown, and was again in service during the invasion of 
Pennsylvania by the rebels, in June, 1863. It was en- 
gaged both as cavalry and artillery, at Carlisle, Ship- 
pensburg, Scotland, Chambersburgh, Oyster Point and 
Kingston. Was recalled to New York before the ex- 
piration of its time, on account of the riots then taking 
place; although enlisted for but thirty, it served forty- 
six days, and was again mustered out of service.. The 



lyS A FAMOUS BATTERY. 

command was, in 1861, composed of 125 men, besides 
its officers. After its first muster out, it is safe to say 
two-thirds of its members re-enlisted, mostly under their 
former Lieutenant, James E. Smith, but many of them in 
other regiments. Out of nine that joined the 7th N. J. 
v., six were killed; about thirty were killed and 
wounded in the 4th Independent Battery. 

Maj. S. M. Swift, 

Commanding, 



M 



■^x 




JAMES TANNER. 



THE CAREER 



OF 



CORPORAL TANNER 



Chivalry in its best sense did not perish when the 
steel-clad knights and men-at-arms passed away with 
the advent of powder and rifled guns. The daring 
deeds and wild adventures of the mailed heroes of me- 
diaeval romance pale their ineffectual fires before the cool 
courage, the sublime devotion that carried the defenders 
of the American Republic into the jaws of death as 
unshrinkingly as ever the Cid or great Godfrey de 
Bouillon rode into battle. 

Among the gallant array whose names have won 
deathless renown on the sanguinary fields of our great 
Civil War none is more widely esteemed, or is more 
deserving of his fame, than that hero of the rank and 
file known of all men as ' ' Corporal Tanner. ' ' 

But of his career from the farm to the ranks, * ' through 
the valley of the shadow of death, ' ' to honorable service 

179 



l8o THE CAREER OF 

in his native State and then tc) the high and responsible 
position of Commissioner of Pensions of the United 
States, of all these bare facts only are generally known. 
A brief sketch of his life — never before published — may 
be of interest to the American people. It is needless to 
say that it will be welcomed by the million and more 
ex-soldiers whose cause is the dearest thing on earth to 
his brave heart, and to whose service he has given 
twenty-five years of unselfish devotion by word and pen 
and deed. 

James Tanner was born near Richmondville, Scho- 
harie Co., New York, April 4, 1844. His early life 
was spent on the farm, working in the fields in summer, 
and attending the district school in w^inter, besides 
' ' doing the chores ' ' about the farm which fall to the 
lot of every country boy. That he profited above the 
average by the meagre facilities afforded him for an 
education is evident from the fact that before reaching 
his eighteenth year he was engaged in teaching school 
himself. 

At the outbreak of the war, although still a mere 
boy, fired with the patriotic ardor that was his by birth- 
right, he enlisted in Company " C, " 87th New York Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and went with his regiment to the 
front. The 87th was assigned to Kearny's Division, 
and with it took part in the Peninsular campaign, being 
engaged in the battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, 
Siege of Yorktown, Seven Days' Battles before Rich- 
mond, and Malvern Hill. Mr. Tanner, in one of his 
lectures, gave a modest but vivid account of some inci- 
dents of his soldier life. As it is quite brief, it is here 
reproduced. 



CORPORAI, TANNER. l8l 

" When the war broke out I was just seventeen years 
old. I was a bio^, green country boy, and had never 
seen a railroad train until I went away to enlist. My 
good old father had brought me up to glory in my na- 
tive land, and he believed that its liberties should be 
preserved at any cost. But he was, as far as I was con- 
cerned, like Deacon Stubbs of Maine and the prohibi- 
tion law. He was ' in favor of the law but agin its en- 
forcement.' My father wanted the country saved, but, 
like many others, he did n't want his boy to go to war. 
We had many discussions on the subject, and one hot 
afternoon, when we were out in the field, I told him that 
my mind was made up, I was going to enlist. So one 
day when it was raining so hard that you would ex- 
pect that no one in his senses would stir out of doors, I 
slipped away to town and was duly mustered in. When 
I found myself in the blue I wrote to father that I 
would get a few days' leave of absence if he would 
promise not to detain me when I came home. He 
readily acquiesced, and so I had the consolation of 
going to the front with his consent and blessing. 

* ' My first experience of what was in store for us was 
when we arrived at Fortress Monroe. It was late in 
the afternoon and we camped in a field. When night 
came on I selected a nice, dry furrow (which reminded 
me of home) for my bed, and wrapping my blanket 
around me, with my knapsack for a pillow, I was soon 
sound asleep. It was the first time I had ever slept out 
without a roof of some kind to cover me. Along about 
midnight I was awakened by a roaring noise and started 
up in terror, but it was only an old-fashioned Virginia 
rainstorm sweeping over us, and as I lay in a furrow I 
had the full benefit of the torrents of water that poured 
down it. ' ' 

Speaking of Malvern Hill and the Seven Days' 
Fight, Mr. Tanner relates this little personal incident, 
which will be appreciated by the boys who were at the 
front : 



1 82 THK CAREER OE 

* ' We were stationed in a field filled with blackberry 
bushes, and it did n't take us long to find out that the 
berries were ripe and plentiful. I stood my gun against 
a tree and proceeded to fill up an ever-aching void (in 
those days) in my interior. The shells were flying 
pretty thick over us and I came to the conclusion that 
we would soon have a warm time of it. I had just 
secured a great big berry and was about to put it in 
my mouth when a shell hit the tree where my gun was 
standing and a shower of branches and bark struck 
me. I thought the top of my head was gone, but felt 
very much relieved when I found that I had nothing 
worse to show for this close call than an enormously 
swelled lip. But I lost the blackberry." 

Subsequently, the 87th participated in the battles of 
Warrenton, Bristow Station and Manassas. The sub- 
ject of this sketch was with his regiment through it 
all, serving as a corporal, and his gallantry and 
efficiency gave promise of a brilliant career, when the 
chances of battle put a sudden and terrible end to the 
ambitious boy's dreams of military glory in the service 
of his country. 

At the Second Battle of Bull Run, August 30, 1862, 
Robinson's Brigade, of which the 87th was part, held 
the extreme right of our line, in front of Stonewall 
Jackson's Corps. About 3 p. m. of that fateful day the 
enemy's artillery had gotten the exact range of this 
line and opened on it with a terrific storm of shot and 
shell which nothing mortal could withstand. As the 
only means of saving them the men were ordered to 
lie close to the ground until a lull in the murderous 
fire to which they were exposed might offer opportunity 
to use their guns. While thus hugging the earth, his 
face to the foe, his musket at a ready, a hurtling frag- 



CORPORAL TANNKR. 1 83 

ment from a bursting shell struck tlie brave young 
corporal's left lower leg, nearly severing the foot at 
the ankle, and then shattering the right leg below the 
knee into a mass of crushed flesh and splintered bone. 
At the first chance he was gently carried from the front 
by his comrades, unconscious and apparently dying, 
and placed in the field hospital where the surgeons at 
once amputated both legs about four inches below the 
knee. 

Meanwhile the Union line had been broken and his 
comrades were forced to leave him at a farm house 
with other desperately wounded soldiers. The enemy 
soon had the house within their lines and made him 
and his companions in suffering prisoners. Some ten 
days afterwards they were all paroled and taken to 
Fairfax Seminary Hospital near Alexandria. Mr. 
Tanner's personal recollection of that momentous event 
in his career is thus succinctly given in a private letter 
to a friend which was published in the Natio7ial Tribune 
in 1887: 

''Two or three nights prior to my being wounded at 
the second Bull Run, my regiment (the 87th N. Y.) was 
stationed along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad at 
Manassas, Bristow, Catlett's and the bridge near Cat- 
lett's. Jackson struck in there (at Manassas) and tore 
us pretty well to pieces. John C. Robinson, then our 
Brigadier, issued an order that the enlisted men of the 
87th should report to and maneuver with the 105th Pa., 
and so at the time I was wounded we were under com- 
mand of Colonel Craige, of that regiment. Just prior 
to my being struck. General Robinson had ordered us 
to fix bayonets and lie down, and as we did so I threw 
one heel up over the other and was in that position 
when hit. I had been talking with the sergeant-major 



1 84 The career oE 

of the I05tli Pennsylvania, and knew his position from 
the chevrons on his sleeves, but was ignorant of his 
name. The first intimation I had of the extent of my 
injury was when he jumped to his feet and exclaimed: 
* My God ! look at that poor boy with both feet gone ! ' 

' ' When the boys picked me up they laid me on a 
blanket — no stretcher being available — and twisted a 
musket in on each side and lifted me to their shoulders. 
Neither of my legs had been entirely severed ; m}- feet 
were hanging by shreds of flesh. The blanket was 
short, and lying on it on my face, I looked under and 
saw my feet dangling by the skin as they hung off of 
the other end. Some kind-hearted soul gently lifted 
them and laid them on the edge of the blanket." 

The sergeant-major of whom Mr. Tanner speaks is 
now (or was recently) a farmer residing near Washing- 
ton, Kansas. He WTote a long letter to the Corporal 
under date of May 5, 1887, which has also been pub- 
lished, and extracts from which are here given: 

"When Colonel Craige ordered me to take charge of 
your squad you seemed to be the only one to whom they 
looked for commands (there were, I think, seventeen of 
you), and I remember that you impressed me as being 
a young man of more than ordinary intelligence and 
ability; and I left control of the boys almost entirely in 
your hands, and that is how we happened to be to- 
gether when you were struck. I know that 3'our squad 
had been assigned to our regiment and that we were in 
line of battle when you were hit by a cannon-ball. I 
am led to believe it was a cannon-ball because there 
was no after-explosion. I recollect that it was the whirr 
of the missile that caused me to look up w^hen I saw it 
coming for us. I remember well the house above us 
and a little to our right, with an old orchard, mostly 
peach, between. We lay in a hollow where a tree had 
once stood, you on your left and I on my right side as 



CORPORAI, TANNE^R. I85 

we talked. While talking we noticed a * speller ' near 
a peach tree just above us. I crawled up to it and as I 
laid my hand on it I heard, and then looking up, saw 
the whizzing fragment coming down for us. My nose 
went into the ground till I heard the thud behind me, 
when I looked and saw at once your sad fate; the bleed- 
ing, feetless legs sticking up so shocked me that I have 
no recollection of what I may have said. I will quote 
verbatim from my journal, written the next day while 
we lay near Centre ville: 

" ' A few of the 87th New York boys were with us, 
and one of them, lying within five or six feet of me, 
had both feet cut off by a cannon ball that struck him. 
He seemed to be a brave lad, but it was a heartrending 
sight to see his look as he stuck up to view his footless 
legs. I have witnessed many horrid scenes, but never 
one that sent such a thrill of painful feeling through me 
as this. * >K ^ 

' ' Fraternally 3- ours, 

"R. J. BOYINGTON, 
''Sergeant Major lo^th Pa. , and 

'' T St Lieut. Co. '/' 105th Pa:' 

Capt. B. F. Butterfield, of Erie, Pa., contributes his 
quota to this ' ' o' er-true tale. ' ' He was the soldier who 
tenderly lifted up the Corporal's mangled feet and re- 
placed them on the blanket. He writes : 

" I was then (August 30, 1862,) a private of Co. 'B,' 
63d Pa. Our Brigade, as far as my memory now serves 
me, consisted of the 57th, 63d, and 105th Pa., 87th N. 
Y., and the 20th Ind., Gen. Robinson commanding. 

' * There was a sort of shallow ravine or dip about the 
center of the field in which we lay, which ran at right 
angles to the front. The bed of a small, dry rivulet ran 
through this. The rebels seemed to have discovered us 
early. I think it was from the men on the hill picking 
peaches, the trees of which were full and ripe. I re- 



l86 THE CAREER OF 

member there were yells from our line of * Get down ! ' 
' Come down out of that ! ' to the fellows on the hill. 
It was but a few moments until a battery of at least four 
guns was pitching shells at and over us in a lively man- 
ner. The 105th, I think, was the next regiment to us, 
and it was immediately after the explosion of a shell in 
the air rather close to us that you were carried by in a 
blanket. I thought at first that you were a 105th man, 
but seeing your 'New York jacket,' concluded that you 
belonged to Hobart Ward's (Second) Brigade. 

"Your face was that of a 3'outh of about eighteen, 
and as our boys came up, with expressions of pity on 
their faces, you remarked, if you recollect it, ' Never 
mind, boys,' or something like that. I thought it very 
plucky at the time, and the incident left a vivid im- 
pression on my memory, and although the day previous 
and on many battle-fields, both before and after, I wit- 
nessed death and wounds in many forms, the circum- 
stances of this case I shall always distinctly recall. ' ' 

Mr. Isaac W. Lawrence, at present an official in the 
Department of Taxes and Assessments of the city of 
Brooklyn, was one of the soldiers who carried Corporal 
Tanner off the field when wounded. His recollection 
of the incident is very clear and minute, and he thus re- 
lated it to a reporter of the New York Herald soon after 
Mr. Tanner's appointment as Commissioner of Pensions: 

* * James Tanner was a tall but boyish-looking soldier 
when the enemy's fire cut him down. He was color 
corporal of Company 'C,' 87th New York Volunteers. 
I was a private in ' H ' Company of the same regiment. 
We were attached to the First Brigade, First Division, 
Third Corps. General John C. Robinson was our 
Brigade Commander when we came up from the Penin- 
sula and joined Pope's Army. Kearny's Division was 
sent ahead, while our Brigade went along the line of 



CORPORAI, TANNKR. 1 87 

the Manassas road, from Warren ton to Manassas Junc- 
tion by way of Sulphur Springs. Five companies were 
held at Catlett's Station while the other five companies 
of our regiment were sent to Manassas. 

"This was in the latter part of the summer of 1862 
when Stonewall Jackson got in the rear of the army. 
Three days before the second battle of Bull Run, and 
the day before the fight at Bristow Station, Jackson 
swooped down and gobbled our five companies at Ma- 
nassas Junction. 

' ' The next day Hooker and Kearny engaged Jackson 
at Bristow. There were two fights there. After being 
cut up so, the 87th was consolidated with, or attached to, 
the 105th Pennsylvania. We had no field officers left 
and only two or three captains when we formed the left 
wing of the Pennsylvania regiment. 

' ' From Bristow we marched to the battle-field of 
Bull Run. Most of the remnant of our regiment got 
scattered. We moved along with the Pennsylvania 
boys to the right of the line, where on a knoll we sup- 
ported a battery. 

' ' We were subjected to a sharp fire of shell and shrap- 
nel from the guns of Hill's Corps. The ' rebs ' were 
trying to turn the flank of our army. We were ordered 
to lie close and get ready to receive them. 

' ' A shell burst over our heads. I was lying along- 
side of Corporal Tanner. The butt end of the shell 
came down, struck Tanner's left ankle, and passing 
through that member, lodged in his right ankle, sever- 
ing the left and shattering the right. Both feet hung 
by shreds of flesh. We had to pick the metal out of 
the right leg. ' Good Lord ! Look at that boy. He 
has both legs off"! ' exclaimed the sergeant-major of the 
105th Pennsylvania. 

"'Yes,' answered the plucky Corporal, 'and if you 
don't get me out of here pretty quick my head will be 
off".' 

" 'Take him right back to the surgeon, boys,' said 
an officer. 



l88 THE CAREER OF 

"Then Sergeant Sproul, a corporal and myself placed 
Tanner on a blanket and carried him to the rear, where 
we got a stretcher for him. A surgeon amputated both 
legs. 

' ' Then the fire of the enem}^ came nearer and nearer 
to where we were, and taking him on the stretcher, we 
carried him about half a mile to a house which was used 
as an hospital. But it was full of wounded, and we laid 
him down on the ground beside the door. 

' ' The Johnnies were hotly pressing our lines and Tan- 
ner said : ' Boys, never mind me. Get back for your 
own safety. Give me a canteen of water and leave me. ' 

' ' I filled a canteen from a well near by and gave it to 
him. Then we boys scattered in every direction. 

* ' When I came back from the army on furlough in 
March, 1864, I was going down Broadway one day, and 
was in the neighborhood of Trinit}^ Church when I saw a 
young man walking towards me with a peculiar gait, and 
carr3dng a cane. 

' ' ' Hello ! Company ' H ' ! ' cried the young man. 

" 'Hello yourself, but you've got the best of me,' 
said I. 

*" What ! Don't 3^ou remember Jim Tanner ? ' 

* ' ' You ain't Jim Tanner. He had both legs cut ofi" ; 
you haven't.' 

" ' Feel them,' said the Corporal, for such he really 
was. 

' * I felt and saw they were artificial. Of course our 
meeting was a pleasant one. 

" When Mr. Tanner was made Collector of Taxes 
for Brooklyn he sent for me and appointed me to a clerk- 
ship in his ofiice, and I have been here ever since. ' ' 

Mr. William A. Shute, now an employe of the Pen- 
sion Bureau, was a fellow-sufferer with Corporal Tan- 
ner on this occasion, having lost a leg at the same battle. 
His experience will be read with interest. He writes 
thus under date of May i, 1892 : 



CORPORAL TANNER. 1 89 

'' Dear Captain Smith: My recollection of the disas- 
trous Second Bull Run is naturally pretty clear, for I 
ended my army service on that bloody field. 

" During the battle a field hospital was established 
in a farm yard just to the rear of where Rickett's Di- 
vision had made their splendid charge. Surgeon J. S. 
Jamieson, of the 86lh New York, was in charge, assist- 
ed by a nephew of Gov. Curtin, a surgeon in some 
Pennsylvania regiment. We were, of course, inside the 
enemy's lines and prisoners of war. Here were grouped 
together 215 of the desperately wounded, and among 
them six of us who had lost seven legs, Corporal Tanner 
contributing the double amputation. The first night 
we passed there with the dark canopy of a stormy sky 
for a covering, which eventually dissolved and poured 
down on us a drenching rain. Though this was dis- 
agreeable enough to us poor, helpless fellows, yet I have 
often thought since that it may have been a blessing in 
disguise by the unstinted application of cold water it 
afforded to our fevered limbs. After a couple of days 
the Van Pelt residence was taken and used as a hos- 
pital and we legless victims of war were carried in and 
laid in rows in the hall. The owner of the house came 
along in the afternoon and his wrath at seeing his resi- 
dence used for such purposes was extreme, but little at- 
tention was paid to his bluster. 

'* Late in the evening of September 2d, Medical Di- 
rector T. H. Wingfield, Inspector and Paroling Ofiicer 
of the C. S. A., came around and paroled the wounded, 
but sent some ten comrades who had been caring for us 
off to Richmond. There was only one sound man left 
with us, a bright, obliging young fellow who had been 
acting as hospital steward for our surgeons, and who 
certainly had his hands full in responding to the numer- 
ous demands made upon him. This youth is now 
known as the Hon. Charles B. Coon, who was a few 
years ago Assistant Secretary of the United States 
Treasury. 



igo THE CAREER OF 

"That night a large tent was put up in the yard, and 
the worst cases, among whom were Corporal Tanner 
and myself, were removed to it. There we stayed ten 
days and nights, suffering both for food and care. The 
first four days, especially, we came pretty near being 
starved. I remember that I traded my covered canteen 
with one of the Confederate guards for his battered old 
apology for one and two hard tack to boot. Then we 
received some supplies under a flag of truce, but had to 
divide with ' our friends, the enemy. ' 

"The weather was excessively warm, and with no 
one to attend to us except the embryo Treasury official 
alluded to, it is no wonder that we all suffered dread- 
fully, and some died whose lives might have been saved 
under other surroundings. 

" I lay next to Tanner and, although he was but a 
boy of eighteen, I never saw a wounded soldier bear 
his misfortune with more nerve and patience. Weak 
and exhausted as I was, he was still more helpless, and 
I am glad to know that I was able, in a wavering kind 
of a way, to be of some service to the gallant boy whose 
fortitude I admired. 

"On the 9th of September, just as the sun was sink- 
ing behind the Bull Run Mountains, the last train of 
ambulances bore us away from the famous battle-field 
with its immortal memories, and though we had a long 
and wearisome ride through the night, its miseries were 
wonderfully relieved by the thought that it was towards 
our ' ain counteree ' that we were going. We reached 
Fairfax Seminary at 10 A. m. the succeeding day, glad 
to be able to rest our weary bodies on something softer 
than the bare ground of Bull Run battle-field, and after 
that we had every attention that medical skill could 
supply. Very truly yours, 

"W. A. Shute, 
''Late of Co. *// 13th Mass. Vol. Inf.'' 



CORPORAL TANNER. I9I 

In Fairfax Hospital was continued his long struggle 
for life, with the odds terribly against him, but a vigor- 
ous constitution and a stern determination to live 
brought him through this dreadful time when he tasted 
the bitterness of death daily. His courage never fal- 
tered, and when he began to improve his first thought 
was: ** What can I do, thus crippled, to hold my place 
among men ? ' ' His ambition could not brook the thought 
that he must be contented to go to the wall in the 
world's battle because of his misfortune. 

After a long course of treatment in the hospital he 
became strong enough to be removed to the old home 
in Schoharie, where his native air and the cordial sym- 
pathy of every man, woman and child in the county 
did wonders in bringing back his health. He was 
skillfully fitted with artificial limbs, which he soon 
learned to manage passably well. Through the in- 
fluence of his friends, who admired his plucky fight 
against adverse circumstances, he was appointed Deputy 
Doorkeeper of the Assembly, at' Albany, and subse- 
quently held various positions under the Legislature, 
which he filled with credit. His misfortune, his nerve 
and his undoubted abilities soon made his name known 
beyond his native State, and in 1864 he came to Wash- 
ington to take a clerkship in the War Department 
under Secretary Stanton. 

On the night of the assassination of President Lin- 
coln he was called upon to take notes of the first oflficial 
evidence regarding the tragedy, and this duty brought 
him the sad privilege of standing by the bedside of the 
dying President. 

The monotonous routine of clerical life, however, 



192 THK CAREER OE 

soon wearied his energetic spirit, and in December, 1865, 
lie resigned his position, returned to Richmondville and 
began the study of law with Judge William C. Lamont. 
He married in the same year a daughter of Alfred C. 
White, of Jefferson, N. Y. 

He was admitted to the bar in 1869. He then ac- 
cepted a position in the New York Custom House and 
took up his residence in Brooklyn, where his eloquence, 
his vim and tact soon made him a man of mark in the 
councils of his party; On a competitive examination 
he rose to the position of Deputy Collector and served 
as such four years under Gen. Chester A. Arthur. 

In 1 87 1 he was the Republican candidate for the 
Assembly from the Fourth, King's County, district, but 
was counted out in the election frauds of that year. 
He was nominated for County Register by the Repub- 
licans in 1876, and while the Democratic ticket had a 
majority of 19,000, he was defeated by less than 2,000 
votes, a magnificent tribute to his popularity among 
all classes of his fellow-citizens. 

Connected as he had been with the Grand Army of 
the Republic almost from its inception, no man more 
enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his comrades 
than "Corporal Tanner." They knew him to possess 
sound judgment, ripe experience and enthusiastic de- 
votion to the Order, so it was but natural that he 
should eventually become a leader. In 1876 he was 
elected Commander of the Department of New York. 
He assumed the ofiBce at a time when discouragement 
and disappointment pervaded the organization, grow- 
ing out of the neglect of the State to provide for her 
helpless and homeless disabled veterans. 



CORPORAI, TANNKR. 193 

The soldiers, stung by the ingratitude of those in 
whose defense they had braved death and sacrificed 
their health, began to despair. The outlook was dis- 
couraging, indeed. But Comrhander Tanner threw 
himself into the work, heart and soul. Calling to his 
assistance that true patriot, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, 
the good work was inaugurated by a mass meeting in 
Brooklyn,' when $13,000' was subscribed towards a 
Home for the veterans. During the two years that 
Mr. Tanner was Department Commander — for he served 
two terms — he traversed the State from the sea to the 
lakes, setting forth in glowing words the veterans' 
needs, the debt of gratitude due them from the State, 
and the shame of degrading her maimed defenders to 
the condition of alms-house paupers. He so fired the 
hearts of the citizens that a flood of petitions poured 
in on the legislature, and tardy justice was meted out. 
A magnificent ' ' Soldiers' Home ' ' was erected at Bath, 
Steuben County, where six hundred disabled veterans 
find the repose and comforts of a home. Truly "a 
monument more durable than brass" to Commander 
Tanner's zeal and energy in behalf of his comrades. 

Mr. Tanner has been conspicuous for years in securing 
just and generous pension legislation from Congress. 
He has been a familiar figure before the Committees of 
the Senate and House having these matters in charge, 
and his eloquent pleas have had a powerful effect in 
shaping legislative action for the benefit of those who 
had suffered in defense of their country. He gave his 
time, his labor and his talents to this cause without fee 
or reward, paying his own expenses on his frequent 
trips to the Capital in behalf of his disabled comrades. 



94 



THE CAREER OF 



To show the broad-minded liberality of Mr. Tanner, 
an incident, or rather, action, may be here related, 
although it occurred subsequent to the period of which 
we are speaking. Although a man of most positive 
views, with the courage of his convictions in all places 
and circumstances, a life-long sufferer from wounds re- 
ceived in the war, yet has he been quick to lend his help 
to the sufferers who fought on the other side, ''not," 
as he said, "on account of their cause, but for the 
reason that they were brave Americans. ' ' While on a 
visit to Richmond, Va., the sad condition of numerous 
maimed and helpless soldiers of the Confederacy ,was 
on one occasion the subject of discussion among several 
ex-members of both armies, and their pitiful lot was 
contrasted with that of the Union soldiers, for whom 
the Government could not do too much. Corporal 
Tanner's heart was touched, and his active brain worked 
up a scheme for their relief. He suggested that the 
citizens of Virginia should take the matter in hand, 
build and equip a home, and then demand that the 
State should care for it. The idea took at once, and acting 
upon his advice appeals were made to the soldiers of the 
Grand Army for aid. Further, a great meeting was held, 
under his inspiration, at the Academy of Music in 
Brooklyn, to aid in this object, which was addressed, 
among others, by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and Rev. 
J. M. Foster, at which some $i,6oo was reahzed for the 
proposed Confederate Home. This was the nucleus of 
a fund which has since swelled to $25,000. So grate- 
ful were the Southern friends of the institution that 
when the work was inaugurated at Richmond this stal- 
wart Republican was unanimously selected as one of 



CORPORAI^ TANNKR. 1 95 

the Trustees of the Home, which position, however, he 
decHned to accept, although assuring the promoters 
that it would always be a profound satisfaction to him 
to feel that he had been able to do something towards 
providing the comforts of life for some of the crippled, 
homeless veterans who had gone down with the cause 
for which they had battled in vain. 

In November, 1877, Mr. Tanner was appointed Col- 
lector of Taxes for the City of Brooklyn, which office 
he held with universal acceptance for eight years, 
through both the Republican and Democratic municipal 
administrations. 

With that restless energy characteristic of the man, 
he instituted numerous reforms in the system of con- 
ducting the business, extending greater facilities to the 
tax-payers and reducing the expenses of the office fully 
fifty per cent. 

To show the estimation in which he was held by his 
fellow citizens a few extracts from the leading journals 
of the city are quoted. 

The Brooklyn Daily Times of November 30, 1885, 
calls his administration ' ' A Phenomenal Success, ' ' and 
then goes on to say. 

' ' When he entered the office some ten years ago, the 
receipt of $400,000 was considered a big thing for the 
first day on which taxes could be received. Since he 
introduced the system of payment by check through 
the mails, the payments have so increased that a vast 
amount of money is thrown into the municipal treasury 
the moment the civic authorities can legally receive it. 
Last year the amount in the hands of the Tax Col- 
lector, paid by check, on the ist of December, was 
$2,000,000. The year before it was $1,500,000. To- 



196 THE CAREER OF 

day Collector Tanner is of the opinion that by to- 
morrow morning he will have in his possession $3,000,- 
000 of the taxes of 1886, or not far from half of the 
entire levy. The Collector and his cash room work 
until midnight every night." 

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of December 2, 1885, 
says: 

"Collector Tanner paid to the Treasurer last evening, 
as the first day's receipts for the taxes of 1885, $3,236,- 
885.69, as against $2,762,306 on the first day of pay- 
ment last year. He was enabled to make this large 
payment through the system of furnishing bills and 
allowing property owners to send checks for a fortnight 
in advance of December i, on which date the taxes 
actually become due." 

The Daily Sta?idard of December 8, 1885, has a long 
article commending and detailing Collector Tanner's 
improved methods. It is too long to quote entire, but 
a few excerpts will show its gist : 

* ' The success of the plan originated by Tax Collec- 
tor Tanner in accommodating the public in the matter 
of paying their yearl}^ taxes has been more marked 
this year than ever before. The amount of taxes paid 
the first day, when Corporal Tanner went in office, was 
$400,000. This was doubled the next year, and has 
gone on increasing until this year, when it is more than 
half a million in excess of last year. ' ' 

The Daily Times of December 26, 1885, said: 

* * It is generally admitted that the city never had a bet- 
ter tax collector than James Tanner. The reforms he 
has introduced in the workings of the office have been 
widely appreciated, and the public, without distinction of 



CORPORAI. TANNER. I97 

party, have given repeated and tangible proofs of their 
satisfaction. If he must now give place to a Demo- 
crat, it may at least be hoped that his successor will 
be one who can be trusted to continue the administra- 
tion of the office in the same line of business princi- 
ples." 

Upon the incoming of a Democratic city government 
in 1886 a strong effort was made to have Mr. Tanner re- 
tained in the office. General Isaac S. Catlin, who had 
been the unsuccessful candidate for the mayoralty against 
the Democratic nominee, said to a representative of the 
Stmidard: 

' ' There are in Brooklyn from five to seven thousand 
veterans in the Posts of the Grand Army of the Re- 
public, and there is not a Post in the city that would 
not pass resolutions warmly thanking Mr. Hardenburgh 
(the newly-appointed collector) in getting out in" favor 
of a badly-maimed soldier if Mr. Tanner should be 
re-appointed to his present position. By common con- 
sent Tanner has made the best collector of taxes that 
any city in the United States ever had. Fifty-five 
millions of dollars have passed through his hands, and 
not one cent of this stupendous sum remains unac- 
counted for. Every Brooklyn taxpayer knows that he 
has vastly improved the system of collection." 

But the exigencies of the political situation prevented 
the accomplishment of the popular wish to have him 
retained. 

After his retirement from the collector's office Mr. 
Tanner was in constant demand on the lecture platform, 
his reputation as a public speaker, eloquent, logical and 
witty, having been firmly established, and the announce- 
ment of an address by ' * Corporal Tanner ' ' was found 



198 THE CAREER OF 

to be about the best drawing card lyceum managers and 
Grand Army posts throughout the country could offer. 

He was especially happy in his remarks and thor- 
oughly in his element at the reunions of veteran sol- 
diers, and there is no one that the ' ' boys ' ' would rather 
listen to. 

At a meeting of New Hampshire veterans, held in 
August, 1885, ^^ was present, and, of course, was 
called on "to speak a piece." His address was thus 
reported by the Boston Globe : 

' * Corporal Tanner began by referring to camp-fires 
and the soldier's life generally, and to the time ' When 
Johnny came marching home.' He then described in a 
facetious way soldiers' fare, the troubles they used to 
have in baking ' hoe cakes, ' w^hich were so often allowed 
to burn up before the fire, through the knavery of some 
envious outsider w^ho would manage to distract the at- 
tention of the cook at the critical moment, and so ruin 
what he could not share in. He then made passing 
allusions to certain raids on hen-roosts, of which he had 
heard, but requested his hearers not to judge the boys 
too harshly for little failings of this kind. They simply 
wished in a quiet way to keep down the enormous ex- 
penses of the Commissary Department. 'After a liberal 
dispensation of salt pork and hard tack,' he said, * for 
an indefinite length of time, it is not to be supposed that a 
hungry soldier wants to have any conscientious scruples 
as to the remarkable longevity attained by a well-fat- 
tened chicken. Yes, we all own up after a while. Some 
would rather go into a fight than eat. I would rather 
eat.' 

' ' The speaker then went on to relate the story of 
Malvern Hill, giving a description of the field, paying 
just tribute to the valor of the 'Johnny Rebs,' as they 
charged up again and again to the very mouths of the 
guns. He also related the anecdote of the rabbit which, 



CORPORAL TANNER. IqQ 

afifrighted b}- the uproar all around it, fled at the top of 
its speed across the front to the security of a distant 
woods, and as it was disappearing over the brow of a 
hill a gallant young officer, who was gazing after it 
with longing eyes, burst out: 'Go it, old cotton-tail! 
If it was n't for the looks of the thing I'd be with you ! ' 
' ' It may be that some people think and say that this 
soldier business is played out. This, no well-informed 
person will acknowledge, for the spirit that actuates the 
boys now is the same that inspired them to march, to 
suffer, to fight, when their valor was all that stood 
between their country and ruin." 

He was no less a favorite on the stump, and his abil- 
ity as an orator, his intense, infectious earnestness and 
loyalty to the principles of the Republican party, made 
his services eagerly sought for in every political cam- 
paign during that stirring period. In 1886 he stumped 
the State of California for Mr. Swift, candidate for 
Governor. In 1887 he went through Oregon like a 
cyclone, and the Republican victory there was largely 
owing to his labors. 

During the Presidential campaign of that year his 
eloquent voice was heard through the length and 
breadth of Indiana in impassioned appeals to the sol- 
diers to rally to the support of General Harrison and 
the Republican candidate for Governor, Alvin P. 
Hovey, and he contributed in no small measure to their 
successful canvass. 

Upon the inauguration of President Harrison there 
seemed to be a general consensus of opinion, especially 
among the soldiers, as to the proper person to take the 
responsible office of Commissioner of Pensions under 
the new administration. It seemed to belong to this 



200 THE) CARE:e:r OI^ 

maimed defender of his country, whose long service on 
the National Pension Committee of the Grand Arm}^ of 
the Republic, added to his legal knowledge and admitted 
ability, rendered him, in popular estimation, peculiarly 
fitted for its important duties. 

He was appointed Commissioner of Pensions by 
President Harrison, March 23, 1889, and here he found 
a new and acceptable field for the exercise of his energy, 
enthusiasm and talents. Thoroughly sympathizing 
with the disabled victims of the War for the Union, he 
yet determined to construe the pension laws with strict 
and even-handed justice. What his personal feelings 
were may be gathered from a rather celebrated address 
he made at Columbia, Tenn., soon after his appoint- 
ment. Speaking of the policy to be pursued he said : 

* ' For long years I have had one conscientious con- 
viction in my heart, which has grown with the years, and 
which is stronger to-day than ever before, namely, that 
it is the bounden duty of this great Republic of ours to 
see to it that no man who wore the blue and laid it ofi" 
in honor shall ever be permitted to crawl under the 
roof of an alms-house for shelter. ' ' 

And again : 

' * Within the limitations of the law, with due regard 
to my ofiicial oath, I here broadly assert that everything 
I can do to assist the needy and sufiering veterans shall 
be done." 

The popular approval of Mr. Tanner's selection as 
Commissioner of Pensions was universal and wide- 
spread. A few extracts from that * ' pulse of the people, ' ' 
the Press, will show this. 



CORPORAIv TANNKR. 20I 

The Chicago Inter- Ocean said : 

* ' The Commissioner of Pensions is a man who has 
made the pension system the study of the best years of 
his Hfe, and who is supremely desirous to apply it to the 
benefit of those for whose aid it w^as devised. It is 
much to have a Department administered by -a chief 
who is desirous that the object for which it was estab- 
lished shall be accomplished by it. ' ' 

The San Francisco Chronicle: 

' ' The new Commissioner seems to be taking hold of 
his work understandingly, and will make an efficient 
and valuable officer. ' ' 

The Milwaukee Sentinel: 

* ' The new Commissioner of Pensions is thoroughly 
in sympathy with the veterans. He has shown himself 
in every act he has performed a sincere friend of the sol- 
diers. ' ' 

The New York Tribune: 

"Corporal Tanner, the new Commissioner of Pen- 
sions, has already instituted several salutary reforms." 

The Troy Times: 

' * The way in which Commissioner Tanner dispatches 
the business of the Pension Department is commended 
on all sides, particularly^ among the Grand Army vet- 
erans. " 

The Grand Army Gazette: 

"The Grand. Army Gazette receives with pleasure 
the announcement of the appointment of Comrade James 
Tanner to the highly honorable position of Commis- 



202 thk carker of 

sioner of Pensions, and begs to tender to him its very 
hearty congratulations," etc. 

The Natio7ial Tribime addressed him an open letter of 
congratulation, from which this sentence is quoted : 

" Your appointment was a recognition of the wide- 
spread esteem of your comradeship and of the unmis- 
takable desire of the veterans all over the country that 
you be put in charge of the administration of the Na- 
tion's justice to her soldiers." 

And so it went all over the country. Mr. Tanner 
* ' buckled down ' ' to the great work before him with 
that tremendous, cheerful energy that always charac- 
terized him. In the first six weeks of his administra- 
tion nearly 20,000 pension certificates were issued, a 
gain of over 4,000 above the corresponding period of 
the previous year. 

And just here comes in a little " bit " of Mr. Tan- 
ner's home life that is delightful and thoroughly 
characteristic. After a couple of months' siege of hotel 
life and ' ' the incessant appearance of the bell boys 
with visitors' cards ' ' when he was expecting a little 
relief from the cares of the day, he broke out gleefully 
as a school boy to a correspondent of one of the Brook- 
lyn papers : 

* ' My wife has at last decided to take the old Weaver 
mansion on Georgetown Heights, and I am more 
relieved than I can tell you. The place has some great 
advantages. There are three acres of ground and I can 
keep a lot of dogs. This will render it rather difficult 
of access to the average office-seeker. Since I have 
been at the head of the Pension Bureau I have had 
scarcely any time to myself, and I really could not 



CORPORAL I'ANNER. 203 

Stand the constant strain. The Weaver place is most 
delightfully situated; the air is cool, pleasant and 
healthy, and we shall move in as soon as some repairs 
are concluded, and the sooner we get there the better 
satisfied both Mrs. Tanner and myself will be." 

It is doubtful, however, whether the change gave 
him much relief, for as one of his friends said : * * They 
left the latch-string hanging out, and it would n't be 
Jim Tanner's house if they did n't." 

One affecting incident that occurred early in Mr. Tan- 
ner's administration was connected with the troubles of 
the New York City Agency for paying pensions, in charge 
of Gen. Franz Sigel. The circumstances are familiar 
enough to newspaper readers and it is not necessary to 
detail them. General Sigel, himself the soul of honor, 
was technically responsible for the misdeeds of a sub- 
ordinate, and tendered his resignation to Commissioner 
Tanner, who assured him that the matter in question 
did not reflect upon his honesty. 

"I tell you," said the Commissioner, relating the 
occurrence, "it was pathetic. I could remember how 
General Sigel' s horse had splashed mud over me as I 
stood in the ranks and he galloped along the line with 
his splendid staff in the old heroic days, and now here 
he was, a broken old man, offering me his resignation 
of an honorable and lucrative office. But I want the 
people to understand that General Sigel' s personal 
record in the Pension Office is clean." 

As the summer wore on the attacks of the opponents 
of Commissioner Tanner grew in violence. His resolve 
to cut red tape in the adjudication of meritorious claims; 
his indignant denunciation of the paltry stipends of one, 



204 'TH^ CAREER OF 

two and three dollars per month doled out to disabled 
veterans, and his avowed determination to reissue the 
certificates of those unfortunates upon a more liberal 
basis, as was within his legal discretion, aroused a host 
of powerful enemies, not confined, it may be suggested, 
to one political party. As it was a pretty dull season 
anyhow, barren of any exciting subject for treatment, 
the new\spapers entered into the discussion of his meth- 
ods and plans with ardor (too often assumed). He was 
specially accused of having nefarious designs, for the 
benefit of the ex-soldiers, upon the mysterious ' ' sur- 
plus " in the Treasury, that was a cause of much worri- 
ment to many editors and politicians who had none of 
their own. Then his noted Columbia, Tenn., speech, 
delivered May, 1889, added to the excitement in various 
quarters, and was made the subject of comment, friendly 
or otherwdse, by almost every newspaper in the country. 
As this was probably the most important address Mr. 
Tanner made, at least during his incumbency of a Fed- 
eral office, extracts sufficient to show its general spirit 
and tenor are appended. 

Delivered before a distinctively Southern audience, its 
beauty of diction and sentiment, the fervid eloquence 
of its delivery, and the manly sympathy of the orator 
with the ' ' maimed victims of the I^ost Cause, sitting in 
the solitude of their wrecked and ruined homes, ' ' created 
a profound sensation through the entire country, and 
its echoes may be yet heard among the dwellers in the 
deep forests, by the lonely lagoons and on the broad 
plantations of the far South, who had borne arms for 
the Confederacy. 



CORPORAI. TANNER. 205 

" Friends and countrymen," he commenced, "we 
thank God and congratulate ourselves, as we assemble 
here to-day, that there is so much in our possession and 
so much in prospect for us in common as citizens of this 
great Republic. And without regard to the boundaries 
of any particular State which w^e designate as our own, 
we look back over a hundred years that are passed and 
gone, and we see much of struggle, much of creation, 
much of bitter sectionalism, and all too much, we will 
all agree, in the last quarter-century, of bloody strife. 
Thank God, we can contemplate it as of the past, and, 
we firmly believe, the forever past. Standing to-day 
upon the shining uplands of prosperity and peace, we 
sw^eep the world with our gaze, and contemplate with 
pride the fact that the American nation stands secure, 
its position unchallenged in the face of the civilized 
world, the glory of its citizenship respected and hon- 
ored in the four quarters of the earth. But a peculiar 
combination of circumstances encompass, while they do 
not embarrass, me to-day, and seem to indicate that 
there are some lines of thought and speech to w^hich my 
mind should fitly turn. 

' ' Within the time of those of us who are now of mid- 
dle or elder age, this country has been shaken from cen- 
ter to circumference by the 

RUDE SHOCK OF BLOODY WAR ; 
of war in its most' horrible form; a death struggle be- 
tween brethren of the same household. Here to-day 
are assembled many men who in the memorable struggle 
of 1 86 1 to 1865, contested on the one side for the dis- 
ruption, and on the other for the preservation of the 
Union. 

*'If there be any fitness in my appearance on this 
platform to-day it arises from the fact that in the days 
of that struggle I stood in the ranks of that mighty 
column of blue. If there are any words to which my 
tongue can most appropriately turn to give utterance 
to-day, they should formulate themselves into a message 



2o6 the: carke^r of 

which I feel I can honestly, conscientiously and con- 
sistently bring from my comrades of the North, who in 
the years of our strife, in answer to the defiance of the 
old time and never-to-be-forgotten 'rebel yell,' sent 
ringing back to the extent of our lung power the Yan- 
kee hurrah. If there be any class of citizens over this 
whole country with whose sentiments I am familiar 
above that of any other class, it is 

THE VETERANS 
of the Union Armies who, from 1861 to 1865, when 
health was in their faces and vigor in their steps, belted 
the country across with a line of blue and beat back the 
mighty hosts of the South; and I am proud of the fact 
that I can bring from my comrades of the North-land a 
sentiment in perfect harmony with the peace and pleas- 
antry and good feeling which is such an adjunct on this 
occasion to-day. If I may be pardoned a personal 
reference, then permit me to say that I am also proud 
of the fact the sentiments of my heart are, and for long, 
long 3^ears have been, utterly in accord with the unifica- 
tion and homogenity of the exercises of this hour. 

"Very many years ago I stated, have repeated it 
many times since then, meant it every time I repeated 
it, and mean it to-day no less than ever, that if there 
should walk into my office the ' Johnnie ' who pulled 
the lanyard of the gun which sent the shell that crip- 
pled me for life, and I was satisfied that he stood with 
me to-day for the honor of our common institutions and 
the glory of our common flag, this right hand would 
reach way out across the so-called bloody chasm, and I 
would say: 'Put it there, Johnnie; you and I will go 
out and take dinner together and talk over old times.' 

"The fact of the business is that when Lee surren- 
dered to Grant at Appomattox no two classes of men 
were more nearly together, ' not only physically, but 
mentally, than the two lines of men who stood there, 
one dressed in gray and one in blue. All true men 
know this, that no matter how earnestly you may fight 



CORPORAL TANNER. 207 

a man, no matter how utterly you may condemn the 
principles for which he contends, when you find that 
man so terribly in earnest that he offers his life in be- 
half of the principles for which he combats, a respect 
grows up for that mighty earnestness in spite of our ut- 
most antagonism to the principles he contends for. 

' ' You will bear in mind that I am speaking of the 
men who fought, not of those who never fronted the 
shock of war, and did not get mad until all opportunity 
to do battle had passed away. They are the fellows 
who yelled themselves into an advanced stage of bron- 
chitis asking 'Why don't the army move?' and who 
no sooner heard the call for three hundred thousand 
more than they at once came to a position of " rest," 
with a draft hst in one hand and a time-table of the 
nearest route to Canada in the other, ready to skip 
across the border if their names appeared among those 
who were drawn for service. ' ' 

Speaking of his duties as Commissioner of Pensions, 
Mr. Tanner said: 

" For long years I. have had one conscientious co«> 
viction in my heart which has grown with the years and 
is stronger to-day than ever before, namely, that it is 
the bounden duty of this great Republic of ours to see 
to it that no man who wore the blue and laid it off in 
honor, shall ever feel the necessity of, or be permitted, 
to crawl under the roof of an almshouse for shelter. ' ' 

He added: 

*'Iyet me put the question to them, and I will go 
under bond that the men who aided in the defense of 
the Confederacy will give a unanimous vote in the 
affirmative to the proposition that, not only in common 
decency and the natural promptings of the human heart, 
but the best and highest exposition of wise political 
economy demands that the boys who are growing up to- 



2o8 THK CARKKR OF 

day must not see the defenders of the Union, who in 
the past held life so cheap and their countr}- so dear that 
they freely flung life as a willing offering in its defense, 
permitted to go hungry or in rags. ' ' 

Speaking of the 33,000 pensioners drawing less than 
one dollar a week, he remarked: " I mean to put these 
up to four dollars a month, though I may wring from 
the hearts of some the prayer, ' God help the surplus.' " 

After referring to the order he issued on Memorial 
Day, when he was Department Commander of New York • 
State, in which he expressed the hope that the Comrades 
would drop a wreath on the graves of such of the boys 
of the South as had found a sepulchre among us, he 
continued: 

*' Later on there came to us the cry of the stricken and 
the maimed, and it was my high privilege, and my 
halting footsteps made speed tojobey the willing dictates 
of my heart, as we called together the citizens of that 
great City of Churches, for a score of years my home, 
and it was my privilege to present a plea for the vet- 
erans of the South. We of the North had the coffers 
of the Treasury to draw upon for our pensions; we had 
honor among the nations of the earth, but I stated that 
the man who followed the fortunes of the Confederacy 
and who had also been maimed, sat in the solitude of 
his wrecked and ruined home and contemplated, possi- 
bly, loss of limb, and saw his wife in rags and his child 
in hunger, and that as we were human and bowed before 
a common God, it remained for us to see that in all the 
desolation and want and misery that came to his hearth- 
stone, there should not also come loss of faith in 
humanity." 

Speaking again of his official duties as he saw them, 
he said : 



CORPORAI, TANNE:r. 209 

" I am clearl}^ of the opinion that I voice the domi- 
nant sentiment of this country when I unhesitatingly 
declare that a wise policy demands that in treating with 
those who have just claims before this country I should 
cease to hunt for merely technical reasons with which 
to defeat them, and devote a little time, at least, to help- 
ing those claimants who in the past did not hesitate to 
help the country in its hour of dire peril. Within the 
limitations of the law, with due regard to my official 
oath, I here broadly assert that everything that I can 
do to assist the needy and suffering veterans shall be 
done." 

After declaring that it was the solemn duty of the 
Southern States to enact such laws as would provide 
for the maimed and disabled ex-Confederates, he closed 
with an eloquent and touching peroration, trusting 
that, when the call shall be sounded for the last assem- 
bly, on the farther shore, the Blue and the Gra)^ would 
be found together in the ranks commanded by the Prince 
of Peace. 

On the 12th of September, 1889, Mr. Tanner for- 
w^arded his resignation to the President in a manl}^ 
straight- forward letter, which needs no explanation. It 
was as follows : 

" Department of the Interior, 
" Bureau of Pensions, 
"Washington, D. C, September 12, i88g. 
" To the Pi'esident : 

* ' The difference which exists between the Secretary 
of the Interior and myself as to policy to be pursued 
in the administration of the Pension Bureau has 
reached a stage which threatens to embarrass you to an 
extent which I feel I should not call upon you to suffer, 
and as the investig-ation into the affairs of the Bureau 



2IO THE CARKKR OF 

has been completed and, I am assured by yourself and 
the Secretary of the Interior, it contains no reflection 
on myself whether as an individual or an officer, I 
hereby place my resignation in your hands, to take 
effect at your pleasure, to the end that you may be 
relieved of any further embarrassment in the matter. 
' ' Very respectfully yours, 

"James Tanner, 

' ' Commissioner. ' ' 

The President replied as follows : 

" Executive Mansion, 
" Washington, September 13, i88g. 
" To the HoJiorahle Jmnes Tanner, 

Commissioner of Pensions: 
''Dear Sir: Your letter tendering the offer of your 
resignation of the office of Commissioner of Pensions 
has been received, and your resignation is . accepted to 
take effect on the appointment and qualification of your 
successor. 

" I do not think it necessary in this correspondence to 
discuss the causes which have led to the present attitude 
of affairs in the Pension Office. You have been kindly 
and fully advised of my views upon most of these mat- 
ters. 

"It gives me pleasure to add that, so far as I am 
advised, your honesty has not at any time been called 
in question, and I beg to renew the expression of my 
personal good will. 

' ' Very truly yours, 

' ' Benjamin Harrison. ' ' 

Mr. Tanner's resignation, and the causes leading to 
it, caused wide-spread comment. The papers from 
Maine to California were full of it, and naturally, the 
views expressed varied greatly, according to the senti- 
ments, feelings and prejudices of the writers. 



CORPORAI, TANNEJR. 211 

Among the prominent men interviewed upon the sub- 
ject was General B. F. Butler, who, not to be misunder- 
stood, wrote out in his own incisive style, his opinion 
on the merits of the case as follows : 

* * * "The Commissioners, as a rule, have 
looked upon a pension as something in the nature of a 
bounty, which was to be given to the soldier as a gra- 
tuity; that it was a charge on the Government, and that, 
like every other charge against the Government, a man, 
to get it, must do everything he is called upon to do, to 
prove every fact that he is called upon to prove beyond 
doubt, and make such proof of the case as would be a 
necessity in a court of justice. It was, therefore, the 
rule that he must take two comrades to swear to his 
original disability, or one commissioned officer to certify 
to this disabihty. Why that rule ? There is nothing 
in the law about it, but it has been the rule of the Of- 
fice. 

* ' Everything else in the world, except how a soldier 
became injured, could be proved b}^ the oath of one 
good man, the crime of perj ury could be established by 
the oath of one good man, but the rule of the Pension 
Office was that it must take the oath of two of his com- 
rades, and the effect was, if a man could not find two 
of his comrades, or one commissioned officer, to prove 
how he got hurt and where, and whether he was in line 
of duty, he was deprived of his pension. The distinc- 
tion between officers and men in regard to truth telling 
I do not believe ought to exist. Again, the feeling has 
been created f at ever>^thing that was gotten out of the 
Treasury was so much taken from the people of the 
United States, and that everything should be done to 
prevent its being gotten out. Every doubt w^as against 
the pension, never the benefit of a doubt given the 
soldier. The Pension Office was administered according 
to a rule of Hoyle — 'When in doubt, take the trick.' 

" One of the viost benificent as w^ell as the most just 



212 THE CAREER OF 

acts of Commissioner Tanner is that he has abolished 
that rule that it takes two volunteers to prove a com- 
rade's disability and only one commissioned officer. 
[It was so regarded by just men all over the United 
States, and cases which, for lack of that second com- 
rade's testimony, when it was impossible to get it, but 
which contained the affidavit of one good and true man, 
cases which had lain from fifteen to twenty years in 
the archives of the Pension Office, and the applicant 
suffering through the years for the necessities of life, 
were taken out of their dusty receptacles and acted 
upon, some completed, others were being pushed to that 
end. Two weeks after Mr. Tanner's retirement from 
office the order was revoked and all those cases ordered 
back to their long resting place. — ^J. E. S.] His critics 
say he has no discrimination. Well, he had discrimi- 
nation enough to know that his own certificate to a 
comrade's wounds ought to weigh as much as that of 
anyone else, 3^et by that rule he would have to get some- 
body else, also, to certif3^ to give a pension to a man 
he saw shot down by his side. He did not mean to serve 
under any such disability as that, and I am sure every 
right-feeling man will say amen. 

"Again he believes that in a case proven beyond 
a reasonable doubt, the pension should be granted. To 
illustrate what I mean — the rules of the Office on the 
subject of marriage, when I had to do with them, were 
against the law, and different from every State in the 
Union. By the decision of the Supreme Court, the 
fact that a man and woman live together in a form of 
marriage and are so known and reputed, is a proof that 
the3^ are man and wife, unless something is shown to 
the contrary. All States have a law that in case of a 
divorce either to be obtained or to be resisted, cohabita- 
tion as man and wife is sufficient evidence of marriage. 
But the rule of the Pension Office has been that a sol- 
dier's widow must produce the certificate of some one 
who married them, or produce the record of her mar- 



CORPORAL TANNKR. 21 3 

riage and the evidence of her identit}^ with the person 
who was married, or a witness who was present at the 
marriage — no inatter how long she may have lived with 
her husband or how many children she may have borne 
him, who have grown up to be held in honor as sons of 
veterans — before she can get a pension, in case her hus- 
band dies, and her husband's certificate to the fact of 
their marriage, or his will in favor of his wife w^ere not 
evidence in the Pension Office. Thousands and thou- 
sands of soldiers' widows have been denied a pension 
on these technical rules, that are not in use or required 
in any court of justice on a trial of marriage. 

' ' For what reason ? Why, that there are bad women 
who pretend to be married when they are not. Would 
/ pay such women pensions if they were not married ? 
No, not if I knew it, not if it were so shown to me. 
But I would act in regard to them under the pension 
laws as everybody acts under every other law, and if I 
made a mistake, I should rather it be in favor of the 
woman. If she has taken care of, and rendered com- 
fortable, the vSoldier in his sickness and old age, and 
tended his grave, I should not be so very much troubled 
as to whether there was a ceremony prior to that or not, 
if she acted as his wife. Oh, but I would deplete the 
Treasury, would I ? Well, I would not have any 
trouble on that account, I would a great deal rather 
deplete the Treasury that way, than by putting it into 
Englishmen's pockets by a free-trade tariff. To get 
the surplus out of the Treasury, we are buying up 
bonds and making a little profit out of the speculation, 
so as to get the money into circulation, and to keep it 
from being locked up in the Treasury. Is there anj^ 
better way on earth to distribute the money gotten out 
of the Treasury, than to give it to poor pensioners, who 
pay it out at once to ' the butcher, the baker and can- 
dlestick maker,' and everybody else, before it gets into 
a bank, or into an accumulation of money ? 

"Whereas, when they buy bonds it goes directly into 



214 'THE CAREER OF 

the hands of the capitalist, and enables him to foster 
great trusts, which make provisions dearer, and puts a 
tax upon the necessities of life. No such thing happens 
when the money is paid the pensioner. 

* ' Mr. Tanner has not gone so far as I would have 
gone in his place, is all I can say. The only difference, 
otherwise, between us would have been, that I, being 
an old politician and used to being vilified, and being 
reasonably strong in body, with my legs to walk upon, 
would not have been rendered a little peevish by my pain, 
and should have heard all m^^ opponents had to say, 
without caring a copper, and without reply. The soldier, 
wounded and suffering, stung to death by the spiders 
and gnats and mosquitoes of the Press, did reply, and 
that is brought up against him. They say it was not 
in good taste. I never heard he did not fight in good 
taste when he shot the enemies of his country. It is 
nothing to me, whether his rifle was clean or dirty in 
the Rebellion, and' it is just as little to me now, when 
he shoots at the enemies of his country in peace, 
whether his words are exactly as rhetorical as they 
would have been had he in 1861 gone to college instead 
of to battle. I think he made the better Commissioner 
that he went to battle instead of to college. 

"Well, of what do they accuse him? Does any 
body say he has given the money of the Government 
to an3^ body who was not a soldier in the War of the 
Rebellion ? Why, it is said he has given pensions 
to soldiers who had not an honorable discharge. But 
that was not his ruling; that was the ruling of the 
Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and I am quite sure 
he is not right. The country promised ever5^body a 
pension who went to the war, was injured and had an 
honorable discharge. If he deserted, and so did not 
get an honorable discharge, the penalty by law for that 
was death, if the Government chose to enforce it. But 
you will search in vain for loss of pension on that ac- 
count. But what the Assistant Secretary of the In- 
terior decided regarding this is of very little account 



CORPORAL TANNKR. 2t$ 

SO far as Mr. Tanner is concerned. He only followed 
the decision of his superior. 

* * * "To the honor of the Confederates be it 
spoken that no complaint of Mr. Tanner's course comes 
up from the South. There may be now and then some 
Yankee who has wandered down there, and got some 
newspaper to say something about it, but from the 
Confederate soldier nothing is said. In the political 
organizations of the South — Southern men — nothing is 
said. It is only the worst enemies that the country 
had in its struggles for its life— the Copperheads of the 
North— that are against the Grand Army, and against 
Corporal Tanner. 

* The mower mows on, though the adder may writhe 
And the copperhead curl round the blade of the scythe.' 

"About re-rating, those cases re-rated by Corporal 
Tanner. A law was passed that they should be re-rated, 
not long before the late Commissioner Black went out 
of office. That law was executed by him faithfully*, 
fully, and generously, and I never heard of any body 
that complained about the manner in which it was ex- 
ecuted. And it will turn out, I have no doubt, that 
after the law was passed, in the latter part of General 
Black's administration, he re-rated and raised more 
pensions, and raised them higher than Corporal Tanner 
has done. At any rate, let any commission of investi- 
gation take that into account. 

"Does anybody complain that Mr. Tanner has done 
anything more than his duty, done it diUgently, has 
been restless in the good work? He ought indeed to 
be commended for doing justice according to the lazvs that 
Congress has passed to his poor, bleeding, dying com- 
rades. Let any soldier cast the first stone and then a 
mugwump may follow with a bad e^Z.'' 

Among the numerous public expressions of sympathy 
tendered to Mr. Tanner on this occasion probably none 
affected him more than the resolution unanimously 
adopted by the Genesee Methodist Conference Veteran 



2l6 THE CARKER OF CORPORAL TANNER. 

Association at Lockport, N. Y. This Association is 
composed of ministers who saw active service at the 
front during the war, and the resolution, adopted with- 
out a dissenting voice was as follows: 

'* Resolved, That we have heard with sincere regret of 
the resignation as Commissioner of Pensions of Corporal 
James Tanner, forced from him by the influence of politi- 
cians, and that we deprecate the subordination of the 
pension department to political wirepullers so that it can 
not be administered by a man who, like Corporal Tan- 
ner, has the true interests of the soldiers at heart; and we 
call upon the President of the United States to place the 
granting of pensions in the hands of those who will ad- 
minister it in the interests of those who fought, bled 
and suffered for their country, and to bestow upon Cor- 
poral Tanner recognition as befits the man who, in every 
position, has shown himself the true friend of the sol- 
dier." 

After his retirement from the Pension Bureau, Mr. 
Tanner entered upon the practice of his profession in 
Washington and has built up an excellent business. 

He still resides in picturesque old Georgetown, and 
has a most delightful home, presided over by his accom- 
plished wife, a lady thoroughly fitted to be his helper 
and inspiration, and brightened by two charming young 
daughters, and a pair of sturdy sons. 

Corporal Tanner is in the prime of his manhood, 
vigorous, alert and ambitious, and it needs no prophet 
to predict that he will yet be prominent in the councils 
of the Nation. He is a man with a future as well as a 
glorious past, and his career, here imperfectly sketched, 
is not closed. "All things come to him who waits, " 
and when the opportunity arrives the man w411 be found 
ready. James E. Smith. 



EARLY DAYS IN THE 
BLACK HILLS 



Thej explorations of Professor Jenny and General 
Custer during the years 1874 and 1875 in that wild up- 
heaval of the earth's surface known as the Black Hills 
of Dakota, resulted in their purchase by the Government, 
lyong before the completion of the treaty, however, 
by which this tract was acquired from its aboriginal in- 
habitants, organized bands of ' ' prospectors ' ' were on 
hand, hovering along the borderland, much as in later 
years attended the opening up of Oklahoma. But the 
Black Hills had been for ages the hunting ground of 
numerous bands of restless, untamable savages, who 
recognized no right in the Sioux chiefs to transfer these 
lands, and they openly declared that they would lift the 
scalp of every white man they caught in their domain. 

This was not a pleasant outlook for the gold-hunters, 
but, while mostly unskilled in Indian warfare, they were , 
as a rule bold, reckless men, not unused to taking des- 

217 



2l8 EARI;Y DAYS IN THE BLACK HII^LS. 

perate chances, so when the militar}- let down the bars 
a great horde rushed in, the most of whom succeeded in 
reaching Custer City. This w^as a post established by 
General Custer, and consisted of log barracks and, some 
distance down the valley of French Creek, a stockade 
erected by Professor Jenny. The first comers put up 
tents and rough log shanties, and so the infant city w^as 
started. The roving Indians promptly opened hostil- 
ities by blockading the only tw^o roads leading into the 
Hills from the south, one through the Red Canon, the 
other by way of Buffalo Gap. Red Canon became a 
veritable valley of death. Train after train was cap- 
tured, the freighters slaughtered and their goods carried 
away or burned. As the young city and the adjacent 
mining camps depended on these trains for supplies, the 
situation was rapidly becoming desperate. Outside, 
grim death awaited all stragglers, while in the city the 
prospect of starvation was disagreeably imminent. 

We had the usual supply of alleged desperadoes with 
us in that trying time — ''Red-handed Mike " and "Ara- 
pahoe Joe" and numerous others with blood-curdling 
nick-names, w^ho adorned the saloons, and with huge 
revolvers strapped to their hips, made the air blue with 
details of the sanguinary deeds they had done and 
could do, but not one of them volunteered to go out on 
the trail or venture their worthless carcasses be}- ond 
the danger line for the protection of the trains. In this 
desperate strait a meeting was called in Custer to con- 
sider w^hat was best to do. Among those present was a 
quiet, unassuming young man who had seen service in 
the Civil War, and enjoyed the unique distinction, in 
that part of the countr}^ of having never tasted liquor 




J. W. CRAWFORD 



EARI,Y DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 219 

in his life, nor gambled, nor was he given to profane 
relations of his own w^onderful exploits; yet he was 
pretty well known as a man of iron nerve, sound judg- 
ment, and a courage that no danger could appall. About 
the only concession he made to the established customs 
of the plains w^as in allowing his abundant brown hair to 
float down his shoulders in silky waves, and in wearing 
a great, wide-brimmed, felt hat. His handsome features 
and soft blue eyes, with a dreamy cast of countenance, 
rendered him a remarkable man in any gathering. His 
gentle, courteous manners, however, were never mis- 
understood by the desperate characters so plentiful on 
the border. They treated him with the respect that his 
record warranted. This was Capt. Jack Crawford, who 
later on commanded Crook's scouts. 

With rather unexpected good judgment the meeting 
decided to appeal to Captain Jack, whose headquarters 
were then in Custer City, to take charge of the situation, 
with full powers. He accepted the responsibility, and 
an immediate change for the better became apparent. 
He and his band of trained scouts soon taught the fierce 
Arabs of the plains to keep out of their reach, and so 
vigilantly did they guard the trails that an unwonted 
sense of security pervaded the city and surrounding 
camps. The trains came through with reasonable regu- 
larity, and provisions became plentiful. Rifles and 
revolvers were no longer considered necessary bed-fel- 
lows, and I can recall with what a comfortable feeling 
of security I would lie down in my bunk at night when 
I knew that Jack and his faithful troop were out on the 
road between us and the savages. 

But this peaceful state of affairs did n't last a great 



220 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 

while. General Crook's column came along and ab- 
sorbed Captain Crawford and his gallant scouts. With 
their disappearance on that long campaign our troubles 
recommenced. 

Our wily foes resumed their bloody work, and just be- 
yond Custer City there seemed to be an invisible dead 
line — whoever crossed it never returned. His bones 
alone were afterwards found on the arid desert. 

The passage of the Red Caiion again became so 
fraught with peril that few were bold enough to attempt 
it. I recall the horror that thrilled us when we heard 
of the massacre of the Metz party of seven determined 
men who had made the venture. Not one lived to get 
through. 

There was an irregular line of stages running between 
Cheyenne and the Hills. That is a coach, so called, 
would make the passage when it was considered safe to 
do so. After Captain Jack' s departure the stages ceased 
their trips until one night a bold driver known as 
"Stuttering Brown ' ' determined to try and get through. 
He carried no passengers. He had not gone many miles 
before he was attacked by the watchful savages, and 
lashing his animals to the top of their speed he kept up 
a running fight until, becoming desperately wounded, 
he mounted one of the mules, cut him loose from the 
stage and so escaped into Fort I^aramie, where he died. 

On the road which enters the Hills through Buffalo 
Gap matters were equally as bad. Incoming trains 
were corralled and attacked, the animals stampeded and 
supplies destroyed. The few that did reach us left 
many of their companions on the plains. Certain death 
awaited those who ventured beyond the foot-hills. A 



e;ari,y days in thk bi^ack hii.i,s. 221 

number of so-called ' ' scouts ' ' were engaged to replace 
Captain Crawford's band, but their services were of 
slight account. 

A few incidents will serve to show the perilous char- 
acter of the surroundings of the mining towns in the 
Hills. One Sunday early in June, 1876, a Rev. Dr. 
Smith preached a sermon to an attentive crowd on the 
only street in Deadwood. After concluding his dis- 
course he started on foot and alone for Crook City, eight 
miles east, where he had promised to hold services. It 
was, of course, a rash undertaking, but he was a reso- 
lute, fearless man, and could not be persuaded to wait 
until a party would go over. He was killed and scalped 
within two miles of the spot where he had delivered his 
last sermon. When the news reached Deadwood a 
force was organized to go out and bring in his body, 
which they did, but at the cost of three more lives be- 
fore sunset. The bodies were all brought in and buried 
in a newly-opened cemetery, since made famous by Capt. 
Jack Crawford in a poem dedicated to "Wild Bill." 

One of the brave dead was Charley Holland, who had 
come out in our train. He was an Odd Fellow, and 
about seventy brothers of the Order, including this 
writer, were gathered together and followed his remains 
to their last resting place across the creek of Deadwood. 
Under the shadow of a tall cypress we laid him away, 
while Judge Kuykendall, of Cheyenne, read the burial 
service of the I. O. O. F. 

While this ceremony was going on, a second party 
was performing the last sad rites for another of the vic- 
tims, Ike Brown, who, although a professional gambler, 
had many manly qualities and an unflinching courage 



222 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 

that extorted universal admiration. He died, at the 
least, in a good cause. 

Meanwhile things were rapidly going from bad to 
worse, and finally the miners of Deadwood and vicinity 
took the bull by the horns as it were, and offered a 
reward of $300 for every Indian head brought in. The 
first (and the only one, I believe) that was presented 
created the wildest excitement in the camp. Business 
was suspended, the head elevated on a pole and carried 
up and down the gulch, followed by a frantic crowd, 
yelling like lunatics. 

The man who had brought in the cause of all this 
commotion was the hero of the hour; nothing was too 
good for him. He owned the town. But he bore his 
blushing honors meekly, and modestly declined to talk 
much of his daring achievement. 

The next morning, however, produced a startling 
change in the situation, at least for one man, in the 
shape of another * ' Richmond ' ' in quest of a head that 
had been separated from the body of an Indian killed 
by him the day before while he was in pursuit of a 
small band that had stolen some horses from him. He 
did not stop until he had recovered his animals some 
distance below Crook City. When he returned to his 
' ' good Indian ' ' he found the head missing. The wrath 
of the rancher may be imagined. He swore a mighty 
oath to slay the man who had played him such a scurvy 
trick. He soon got on his trail and tracked him to 
Deadwood. The meeting between them was sharp and 
decisive, and ended in the hero of the celebration of the 
day before biting the dust. Nothing was ever done to 
the ranchman, for the Deadwood of that period, rough 
as it was, had no use for a thief. 



EARI^Y DAYS IN THEJ BI,ACK HILI^. ^ 223 

Karly in June, I decided to leave Deadwood for civ- 
ilization. On arriving at Custer City I had to wait sev- 
eral days until a train was made up for the trip to 
Cheyenne, as the chances of one man, or even two or 
three, reaching it were of the slimmest kind. A party 
of twenty-one men and ten w^agons finally got ready, 
elected a Captain, one Glynn, to whom was delegated 
absolute authority over the outfit, and, by a majority 
vote, the route through Red Canon w^as selected. 

About this time, as we afterw^ards learned, the 
deserters from the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail Agen- 
cies were moving north to join Sitting Bull. Their 
trail crossed ours between the mouth of Red Caiion and 
''Down Indian" Creek. 

The first station after leaving the Red Canon is 
''Cheyenne River Ranch," and from there it is thirty- 
three miles to ' ' Down Indian ' ' Creek, the next station 
where wood and water was to be had. This is called 
''the long drive." 

On this part of the route we found abundant evidence 
that a large force of braves had very recently passed to 
the north. We saw numerous ponies and troops of for- 
lorn looking dogs straggling along, evidently in the 
wake of the advancing column. Our party captured a 
number of the ponies, that w^ere secured by the men 
without going too far away from the train, for Indian 
"signs" were becoming alarmingly thick. We pro- 
ceeded cautiously until about noon w^hen we were 
halted by a fusilade from the crest of a bluff, which 
concealed the enemy from our view. The train w^as 
corralled and preparations made for defence. 

After standing around for about an hour and hearing 



224 KARLY DAYS IN THK BI.ACK HILLS. 

nothing further from the enem}^ I became impatient 
and asked the Captain what he intended doing. "Oh, 
we must wait for developments, ' ' was his reply. 

Now my knowledge of Indian fighting was very 
limited, but it seemed to me that if the savages were 
strong enough to attack us they would have done so 
before this, and I so stated to the Captain, adding that 
if he would give me ten men, half the force, I would 
deploy them as skirmishers and find out the exact situ- 
ation of affairs. He flatly refused. 

Meantime the firing from the bluff had re-commenced 
and stray bullets were dropping unpleasantly near, 
liable to do damage any minute, while twenty armed 
men were hugging the ground inside the corral. 

I tried to convince the party of the danger of remain- 
ing inactive, thus giving the Indians time to collect a 
force large enough to overwhelm us, but all to no pur- 
pose. 

Becoming thoroughly exasperated, I leaped on my 
horse and dashed straight for the bluffs, where I had 
just seen two heads cautiously raised to take observ^a- 
tions. As I neared the hills I noticed a gap, caused by 
a dry creek or ravine, on the left, and making for it at 
a run, I flanked the bluff and was rewarded by seeing 
two braves in hasty retreat ! This, of course, increased 
my courage, and dashing across the sandy bed of the 
creek I fired two or three shots in quick succession after 
the flying foe. Just then my horse stumbled and threw 
me over his head. I had a pretty hard fall, but recovered 
myself and started back, leading the horse. I expected 
that at least a few of my brave companions would have 
come to my assistance, but not one of them had moved 



EARLY DAYS IN THK BLACK HILLS. 225 

from the safe covert of the corral. I was sore from the 
fall, and deeply chagrined by the womanish timidity of 
the men I was traveling with through this dangerous 
country, and when I got back to them I expressed my 
views of their conduct in no measured terms. They 
took the rating meekly enough, and the Captain, feeling 
that he was out of his element, resigned his charge. I 
was immediately elected to the vacancy, but promptly 
declined the honor. I curtly informed the gang that I 
had no doubt of my ability to reach Cheyenne, but 
doubted very much whether they would ever see it. 

The next night we camped at Hat Creek, where we 
met a detachment of soldiers who had been sent out to 
help the ranchers, whose property had been destroyed 
by the Indians on their march to the I-^ittle Big Horn. 
A sutler, w^ho was with the troops, had a generous sup- 
ply of whiskey, and the members of our train clubbed 
together and purchased some twenty half-pint flasks, 
which were solemnly tendered to me as a peace-offering ! 
I declined the testimonial, and as we reached I^aramie 
soon after, I there left the outfit and rode into Cheyenne, 
ninety-three miles, alone. 

Several days later, while seated in a barber's chair 
enjoying a civilized shave, I was treated to a thrilling 
tale of the wild adventures of a small party that had 
just come in from the Black Hills. The individual who 
was giving his experience of the desperate fight his train 
had had — how they were compelled to entrench on the 
prairie; how a mere handful of brave men had, after a 
long and bloody struggle, beat off a vastly superior 
body of Indians — was behind me and I could not see 
his face. When the barber had completed his job I 



226 EARI^Y DAYS IN THE BEACK IIIIXS. 

turned to ask this gallant hero where he and his party 
had been rounded up, and was struck speechless at be- 
holding one of our own party, a freighter named Harris, 
who had never showed his nose outside the corral while 
the two Indians remained on the bluffs. 

When he saw me he collapsed at once, but recovering 
himself he declared to the crowd that I had saved the 
train by my personal prowess. I was pretty wrathy, 
and nipped the blood-curdling story in the bud by re- 
lating the actual facts of the case, which were tame 
enough. When I had got through the freighter had 
disappeared and I saw no more of him or his com- 
panions. 

I may be pardoned for relating here a few little in- 
cidents connected with Captain Crawford. 

When General Crook and his famished army reached 
Deadwood on their return, they had been subsisting on 
horse-flesh for many days prior to their arrival. Cap- 
tain Jack had promised the correspondent of the New 
York Herald to deliver his dispatches at the nearest 
telegraph office in advance of his competitors, and so 
hurried on ahead of the army at his utmost speed. He 
came into Deadwood in advance of the column — to 
arrange for his eighty-mile ride to Custer and thence to 
lyaramie. He was, needless to say, very hungry, and 
carried with him his share of the last army rations 
issued— a hind leg of a colt ! Entering the " I. X. L. " 
hotel he slapped his meat on the counter and requested 
the man in charge to have a steak cooked from that, 
quick. 

Jack had just come off a long and fatiguing cam- 
paign, part of the time hunting Indians, and a consid- 



EARI,Y DAYS IN THE) BI.ACK HII,I.S. 227 

erable portion of it being hunted by them. He was 
weary and haggard, his hair unkempt and face covered 
with a beard an inch long, and although no man was 
better known in Deadwood and the mining camps 
around it, it was not strange that the barkeeper failed 
to recognize the pleasant-mannered pioneer scout of the 
Black Hills in the wild looking individual who wanted 
a steak prepared from the leg of a colt. 

Keeping an eye on his suspicious customer, he backed 
off towards the kitchen, separated from the bar and 
dining room by a screen door.' Through this he plunged 
rather precipitately, almost upsetting the proprietor, 
Jimmy Van Danniker, who was coming in from the 
kitchen. 

'' What the devil ails you ? " he shouted. 
''There 's a wild man at the counter who wants a 
horse cooked ! " gasped the barkeeper. 

Van Danniker cautiously reconnoitered the situation, 
and, slipping behind the bar, secured his revolver and 
then sternly demanded of the uncouth object before 
him an explanation. Jack, who had laid his weary 
head on his folded arms was half asleep, but at the sum- 
mons raised up and looked his old friend full in the 
face, but could discern no answering glance of recogni- 
tion in the angry eyes that glared threateningly at him. 
Van was known to be, in the Hills vernacular, ' ' a bad 
man with a gun," and unpleasantly quick sometimes to 
resent any "fooling," to use another expressive term, 
so Crawford just quietly said, "Jim, don't you know 
me?" 

The musical voice was about all that was left of 
Jack, seemingly, but it was enough. Down went the 



228 KARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILI,S. 

revolver, out of the front door the leg of the colt, and Cap- 
tain Jack soon sat down to a repast that included the 
best of ever3^thing in the Deadwood market. 

After filling up to the limit, and a short rest, he pulled 
out for Custer City, urging his wiry little broncho to its 
utmost speed. Upon his arrival, just before dark, the 
horse was so utterly worn out that he found himself 
compelled to lay over and give it a chance to recuperate. 
He placed him in a stall next to one occupied by a fa- 
mous race horse owned by a well-known sporting 
man from Denver, named Davis, who happened to be in 
Custer City, and knowing Jack intimately, had offered 
him the use of his stable. 

Returning to the cabin dignified by the name of hotel, 
he rolled himself in his blanket on the floor of an empty 
room and would have been instantly asleep had he not 
overheard a few words of conversation, from a party in 
the adjoining room, in which his own name occurred. 
I^istening with the trained intensity of a frontiersman, 
he discovered that a scheme had been formed by the 
other newspaper correspondents at Custer to get their 
dispatches in ahead of Jack. They had engaged a well- 
known mail-ridei to carry their matter, with the under- 
standing that if he succeeded in reaching a telegraph 
station in advance of Crawford his compensation w^ould 
be something princely. After the business had been 
disposed of the party separated, the mail -rider stipulat- 
ing that he should have a couple of hours' sleep before 
starting. 

"Jack's broncho is used up, anyhow," he remarked. 
"I've looked him over, and he can't stir before morn- 
ing, if then." 



EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 229 

This was enough for Captain Jack, and waiting until 
he heard his rival snoring, he silently crept out, and 
going to the stable he felt around in the dark for his 
horse. To his intense dismay he found him lying in 
in the stall dead. This was a state of affairs he had not 
counted upon. Where to get another animal at that 
hour he did not know, and delay meant defeat, for the 
mail-rider was undoubtedly well equipped for his trip. 

Jack had a well- written account of Crook's great 
campaign to its termination, but its special value de- 
pended upon his getting it telegraphed to the Herald 
ahead of the rival news-gatherers. 

Just then the Davis mare neighed. 

**Aha! said Jack softly, "that settles it." And in 
a few minutes he had her saddled and bridled, led out 
and mounted. 

Walking her cautiously past the house, he suddenly 
found himself, in the dim light, looking into the muzzle 
of a Henry rifle protruding from an open window, with 
Davis' grim face behind it. ! 

"Don't shoot, Davis!" he cried. "It's I — ^Jack 
Crawford. I'll take good care of the mare and bring 
her back to you, but I must have her to-night," and 
he was off on the trail like the wind. Davis did n't 
shoot, although that mare was the apple of his eye, for 
he knew that he could trust Jack. 

That long, solitary, and dangerous ride through a 
desert, peopled only by roving bands of hostile savages; 
the arrival the next day at Laramie ; the holding of the 
wires (after the despatches had been sent off), with a 
mass of personal adventures, against the delaj^ed matter 
of the other correspondents until he felt assured (which 



230 EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 

turned out to be a fact) that the New York Herald had 
the exclusive details of the campaign a day in advance 
of any other paper in America, all this has been pub- 
lished heretofore and need not be repeated. 

The Herald was so pleased with the exploit that its 
proprietor sent Jack a check high up in three figures, 
and his thanks besides. 

Captain Crawford has collected and published his 
poems in an elegant volume, which has had a wide sale. 
With his permission one of them, a dialect poem, is 
here given. It is an excellent example of his versatil- 
ity and of the sparkling wit that bubbles from his pen 
as naturally and refreshingly as the cool waters from 
some mountain spring. It originally appeared in the 
New York Clipper. 

Santa Claus in the Mines. 

It seemed so tarnal foolish like 

Fur men ter tackle children's play, 
But w'en ol' Californy Mike 

Said: "Boys, to-morrow 's Christmas day; 
Suppose we all hang up our socks 

An' see what Sandy Claws '11 bring? " 
Us four, big, burly miner gawks 

Decided it war jest the thing. 

So thar, beside our cabin fire, 
All glowin' with its ruddy coals, 

We made a play, but I 'm a liar 
If every sock wan't full o' holes ! 

At this diskivery we all 

Roared out in laughin' shouts an' hoots, 



KARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 23 1 

Till Forty-niner Jim McCall 

Said: "Durn it, le 's hang up our boots." 

The new suggestion seemed to strike 

The gang as bein' payin' ore, 
So every boot went on a spike 

Drove jest outside the cabin door, 
An' then fur two hull hours we set 

A talkin' Chris' mas talk, an' all 
The boys a guessin' w'at they 'd get 

When Sandy made his flyin' call. 

We talked of boj^hood's happy times 

W'en Chris' mas cum, back in the States, 
An' how we used ter save the dimes 

Ter buy our little sleds an' skates. 
An' how the row of little socks 

'D hang above the fireplace light 
An' all about our hopeful talks 

W'en in our trundle beds at night. 

I '11 tell ye, pard, thar wa'nt no lack 

O' regular, outpourin' tears, 
As recollection tuk us back 

Along the trail now dimmed with years. 
An' every heart jest seemed to melt 

While talkin' of our kith and kin, 
An' each ol' grizzled miner felt 

Jest like he war a boy agin. 

Next mornin' jest as peep o' day 

Across the mountain 'gan ter drift, 
As in our bunks we .snoozin' lay, 



2^2 KARI^Y DAYS IN THE^ BI.ACK HII^LS. 

One o' the boys yelled '' Chris'mas Gift ! " 
Then up we sprung onto the floor, 

A bilin' with ol' boyish fun, 
An' made a rush out o' the door 

Ter see w'at Sandy Claws had done. 



I 've heard o' men so cussed mean 

They wa'nt fit ter live with hogs. 
Nor wa'nt proper ter be seen 

In company o' decent dogs. 
But they war angels w'en compar'd 

Unto that meanest o' galoots 
Thet in the quiet night-time dar'd 

Ter sneak along an' steal our boots ! 

A string o' tracks out through the snow, 

Toward a distant minin' camp, 
The thief's direction w^ent to show, 

An' indicated him a tramp. 
But somehow in my mind it runs 

'Twar Sandy Claws as tuk 'em in, 
Ter punish us big sons of guns, 

Fur tryin' ter be boys agin. 

Capt. Crawford is of Scottish lineage, and doubtless 
some tinge of the Highland blood of his remote ances- 
try is responsible for his adventurous life. He enlisted 
early in the war in a company recruited about Miners- 
ville, Pa. His company was in the advance in the gi- 
gantic work of undermining the forts in front of Peters- 
burg. He was twice wounded, once at Chancellorsville, 



EARLY DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 233 

and again at Spotts34vania, and a very slight limp in 
his gait serves as a reminder of his life at the front. 

After the war he drifted to the West, and was one of 
the seven men who first penetrated the Black Hills, 
being chief of scouts for a party of rangers. He subse- 
quently served with Custer, and then as chief of scouts 
for Gen. Crook. He afterwards took part in the cam- 
paign against the old Indian chief Victoria, following 
him to the Mexican line, where Victoria was killed. 

Secretary I^incoln appointed him post trader at Fort 
Craig, New Mexico, after this campaign, and after that 
post was abandoned he was made custodian of the res- 
ervation. 

He is now employed as a Special Agent of the Indian 
Bureau, looking up frauds against these wards of the 
Nation, and waging war against those selling them 
liquor. 

His home is an ideal one for a borderman, being ro- 
mantically situated on the banks of the Rio Grande, in 
the centre of his cattle range of forty-two miles square, 
where his herds of cattle and brood-mares roam at will 
in the wide river bottoms and through the grassy foot- 
hills. Here he resides with his wife and children, two 
daughters and a son. This son, Harry, although but 
twenty, is a famous rider, and Captain Jack is specially 
proud of his abilities as a " roper, ' ' he having on one 
occasion thrown a wild steer and tied him in forty-seven 
and a half seconds from the word "go," a record which 
has never been equalled by the most expert cow boy in 
the West. 

As has been before stated, Captain Crawford has 
never tasted liquor, and his reason for it, as given by 



:234 EARI.Y DAYS IN THE BLACK HILLS. 

himself, shows both the affectionate and resolute side of 
his character. He says: 

"Through my father's one great failing, intemper- 
ance, I was deprived of most everything that a boy 
should have had. When my mother lay on her death- 
bed she called me to her, and placing her hand on my 
head, she whispered: 'Johnny, my son, my wild and 
reckless boy, you know how much your mother loves 
you. I am going to heaven, my boy, and I want you 
to give me a promise that I may take it hence with me. 
Promise that 3- ou will never drink intoxicating liquors, 
and it will not be so hard for me to leave this world.' 
I gave that promise, and amid all the temptations of 
army and frontier life, whenever I was asked to take a 
drink, that scene at my Christian mother's bedside came 
to me, and I was safe." 

Captain Crawford is a ready, eloquent and witty 
speaker, and is in constant request at camp-fires, re- 
unions and temperance meetings, when his duties per- 
mit his absence from home. 



"TO THK GRAND ARMY OF THK REPUBIylC. 235 



To THE Grand Army of the Republic. 

I feel that I can not close these memoirs without re- 
ferring to the grandest body of men ever banded to- 
gether for mutual protection, brotherly assistance and 
mutual comradeship. 

Being an invalid, physically helpless, these noble at- 
tributes of the Order whose name appears above have 
been forcibly brought home to me during the years I 
have been confined to room and bed, and through many 
a sleepless night have my thoughts reverted to the old 
heroic days that gave reason for the present existence 
of the Grand Army of the Republic. 

It was born in the storm of battle, nurtured in the 
weary marches through pestilential swamps under a 
burning Southern sun, and cemented in the prison stock- 
ade, on the deadly skirmish line, at the lonely picket 
post — for those who were comrades at the front are com- 
rades still, and will be until me last man is mustered 
out. 

These are the ' ' boys ' ' who marched away in the 
sixties, singing gayly: 

"We are coming, Father Abraham, 
Six hundred thousand more, " 

leaving father and mother, wife and children, sweet- 
heart and friends, at their country's call, and whether 



236 TO THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. 

their brave young lives went out amid the thundering 
of the guns, or wasted away by fell disease, or they sur- 
vived to join hands and hearts in after years in the G. 
A. R., they are the Nation's immortal heroes. 

When the mighty armies, whose tramp had been 
heard around the world, had quietly dissolved, their 
survivors would come together to talk over the perils 
they had shared together, and these reunions gradually 
crystalized into one vast aggregation, banded together 
in Friendship, Charity and Loyalty. 

These are the men whom Lincoln trusted — the men 
who solved the problem that could only be solved by 
the sword. 

Is it strange that during the tedious hours of the past 
two years the bright faces of visiting comrades were 
like rays of sunshine ? for I, like the others who wore 
the blue, am now proud to wear the bronze button of 
the G. A. R. 

The benefits of the Order are most forcibly ex- 
perienced when sickness or want invades the home, and 
'tis then the soldier feels that he is not alone in the 
world, but is the object of the care and solicitude of his 
comrades. 

When deserted by hope, racked with pain, mental 
and physical, believing that I would never leave my 
bed alive, many weary hours of the night have I passed 
with the *' Phantom Army " long since gone to its 
eternal camping ground; the Army that crossed the 
River of Life many years ago and is now awaiting the 
rear guard. In my fancy I found two armies about me, 
the material and the spiritual, the former composed of 
comrades whose friendly visits cheered me during the 



TO THE GRAND ARMY OF THK REPUBLIC. 237 

day, the latter my companions of the night. So it 
was that day or night present or absent comrades con- 
tributed to my comfort. 

To the Hving soldier friends my best thanks are due 
for calls that seemed to relieve me of half the suffering I 
endured, their very presence a better medicine for body 
and mind than all the drugs in the pharmacopoeia. 

And when the last tattoo is sounded and our spirits 
are called to join the Grand Army gone before, we 
know that our comrades' loving hands will bear us ten- 
derly to the tomb, and that each recurring year will see 
our graves blooming with the roses of remembrance 
while a member of the Grand Army of the Republic 
survives. 

James K. Smith, 
Kit Carson Post, No. 2, Deft of the Potomac. 



THE RND. 



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